A tragic case from Connecticut has resurfaced with new legal developments, as social services face allegations of failing to prevent a father from throwing his infant son off a bridge to his death. Tony Moreno was sentenced to 70 years in prison for killing his seven-month-old son, Aaden, by hurling him from the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, Connecticut, in 2015.
The Fatal Incident and Criminal Trial
Following the horrific act, Moreno jumped off the bridge himself, sustaining serious injuries but surviving. During his criminal trial, Moreno testified that he accidentally dropped the boy and did not intend to harm him, despite having previously confessed to police that he deliberately tossed him over. The prosecution presented evidence, including angry text messages exchanged with Aaden's mother, Adrianne Oyola, in the minutes before the jump, where she frantically pleaded with him not to hurt the boy.
Moreno's messages included chilling statements such as, 'Enjoy your new life without us. He's dead. Soon I will be too.' Aaden's body was discovered two days later, two miles downstream near the East Haddam Swing Bridge by a canoeist, after an extensive search involving dive teams and helicopters. In 2017, Moreno was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 70 years behind bars without the possibility of parole.
The Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Social Services
Now, Aaden's mother, Adrianne Oyola, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state's Department of Children and Families (DCF), alleging that social services failed to protect her son. The lawsuit, first filed in 2023 and amended on January 9, argues that DCF promised to help Oyola obtain a restraining order against Moreno but never followed through.
According to court records, just days before Aaden's death, a judge denied a permanent restraining order against Moreno after Oyola accused him of threatening and pushing her, despite a temporary restraining order having previously been in place. The two had worked out a custody agreement, and it was Moreno's turn with his son on the day of the incident.
Allegations of Systemic Failures
The amended complaint claims that Oyola, who was 19 at the time, was told a social worker would attend the hearing with her because she 'was not capable of representing herself in court,' but the social worker never showed. It states, 'Had someone representing the Department of Children and Families attended the June 29, 2015 hearing, that person would have recommended that the restraining order remain in place and would have provided evidence to the Court that Tony Moreno was a danger to the plaintiffs.'
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that DCF failed to check on Aaden after the restraining order lapsed and could have protected him by invoking a 96-hour hold or filing for temporary custody to administratively remove him. These claims highlight potential gaps in child protection protocols that may have contributed to the tragedy.
Legal Proceedings and Upcoming Trial
DCF had requested a judge to find judgment on the case, seeking an official decision to resolve the dispute. However, last week, a judge ruled that 'genuine issues of material facts' remain, scheduling the trial to begin in May, nearly 11 years after Aaden's death. Oyola and a lawyer for her son's estate are seeking monetary damages, to be determined at trial.
In response to inquiries, DCF declined to comment, citing 'pending litigation.' This case underscores ongoing debates about the effectiveness of social services in safeguarding vulnerable children and the legal accountability of such agencies in preventable tragedies.
