A Connecticut father was sentenced to 70 years in jail for killing his baby son by hurling the youngster down a bridge.
Tony Moreno threw his 7-month-old son, Aaden, from the Arrigoni Bridge in July 2015. The toddler died after falling 90 feet into the Connecticut River. Moreno then leapt off the bridge. He was critically injured yet survived.
Moreno, now 23, claimed during his trial that he dropped the baby by mistake and never intended to harm his son, although he had admitted to police that he flung the infant down the bridge, and court documents indicated he had furiously messaged Aaden’s mother seconds before he jumped. “Enjoy your new life without us,” wrote Moreno. “He’s no longer alive. I’ll be there soon.”
Just days before the homicide, a custody issue over Aaden was concluded, with Moreno being given joint custody in what had become an increasingly difficult relationship between Moreno and the boy’s mother.
Police were called to the bridge after Moreno’s mother contacted 911 to claim her child had told her he was going to jump. Officials arrived just in time to observe Moreno leap, but there was no evidence of the infant other than an empty stroller.
Aaden’s corpse would not be discovered for two days, despite an exhaustive search including dive teams and aircraft. Several kilometers downstream in East Haddam, a kayaker found the baby’s bones.
The baby’s mother told the judge that every time she woke up, she prayed that the horror would end and her kid would be in her arms. She won’t get to see her son grow up. He ended her entire universe in front of her. He ended her life.
Despite the fact that Moreno’s counsel, Norman Pattis, sought to persuade a jury that he never intended to murder his son, he was found guilty in February of murder and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to the Courant, Pattis pushed for Moreno to get the mandated minimum sentence of 25 years.
Pattis explained, “Tony told you what occurred.” “It was ignored by the jurors.” Aaden escaped his clutches.”
Moreno was sentenced to life in prison by Middletown Superior Court Judge Elpedio Vitale, who stated, “The complete depravity of the crime, a father killing his young son, speaks for itself.”
