‘Don’t forget about my niece.’ Search for Ansonia child marks three years
Jacobellis never thought three years would pass without knowing what happened to her niece or where she is.
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10h agoVanessa Morales' family still thinks of her a giggling, happy
1-year-old, just starting to walk. But Vanessa’s fourth birthday was in
September.
“I don't know if her hair’s long, her hair's short. But I know one
thing, her eyes never change, and that's the one thing that I keep on looking
at when I go to a store and see a kid. I look at their eyes. And that hurts,” Vanessa’s
aunt Jodi Jacobellis explained emotionally. “And to have people stare at me
like, ‘Why are you staring at my child?’ And it's like, I have a missing family
member. I'm just looking for them.”
Jacobellis never thought three years would pass without knowing what happened
to her niece or where she is. The search began when Ansonia police discovered
Vanessa's mom, Christine Holloway, killed in their home and Vanessa gone. They
arrested Jose Morales, Vanessa's father, for Holloway’s murder and named him
the prime suspect in his daughter's disappearance.
“Unfortunately, we stand in the same spot we stood December 2 of 2019.
Vanessa has disappeared and we have no indication as to what happened to her or
her whereabouts,” said Lt. Patrick Lynch, of the Ansonia Police Department.
He said investigators continue to meet on a regular basis to talk about
any new information that’s come up or see if there’s something they need to
take another look at. Lynch added that most of the officers and detectives on
the case have kids so there’s a personal aspect to it.
Jose Morales is awaiting trial for Holloway's murder, so he isn't talking right
now. But like police, Jacobellis said there's no doubt in her mind he knows
where Vanessa is.
“It's frustrating,” Jacobellis said. “You just want to shake him. Just, like
please, just tell us.”
She told News 12 she doesn’t think Vanessa is still in Connecticut. “I
don’t know if it’s Puerto Rico. It could be anywhere. Florida? New York? I
don’t know.”
But as another year passed, Jacobellis made a tearful plea to the
public. “Don't forget about my niece. Just keep on looking for her. And
hopefully whoever has her if they're watching the news, just bring her home to
us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 203-735-1885 or leave an anonymous tip here.
