Middletown, CT – A Connecticut judge has ruled that a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Children and Families can proceed, alleging the agency failed to protect a 7-month-old boy who was thrown from the Arrigoni Bridge by his father despite prior warnings of potential violence.
Court documents detail that baby Aaden Moreno was killed by his father, Tony Moreno, on July 5, 2015, just two days after a temporary restraining order protecting the child and his mother, Adrianne Oyola, expired. The complaint asserts that the order was not renewed because no representatives from the Connecticut child welfare agency appeared at a scheduled hearing to support the extension.
Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis ruled Thursday that there are “genuine issues of material fact” surrounding the department’s handling of the case, allowing the matter to move forward to trial. The suit, initially filed by Oyola and refiled earlier this month, outlines multiple warnings given to state workers before the child’s death.
According to filings, Oyola obtained a temporary restraining order against Tony Moreno on June 17, 2015, citing threats and escalating violence. A follow-up hearing on June 29 was intended to determine whether the protection would remain in place. The lawsuit alleges that agency officials assured Oyola of their support but ultimately failed to appear in court, leaving her to represent herself.
“The defendant, State of Connecticut, its agents, servants, and/or employees, knew that Tony Moreno was a danger to the decedent,” the complaint reads. “The defendant … knew that Adrianne Oyola was not capable of successfully representing herself in court.”
Authorities later said Moreno threw his son into the Connecticut River before jumping himself. He survived the fall, was rescued, and later convicted of murder. He is currently serving a 70-year prison sentence.
The ongoing civil action seeks damages for negligence, alleging the state’s failure to act despite repeated warnings and pleas for intervention. The Department of Children and Families has not commented on the ruling or the pending case.
Key Points: Judge allows lawsuit to move forward against Connecticut child agency after baby thrown from bridge – Middletown
• A Connecticut judge ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit against DCF can move forward.
• The complaint accuses the agency of failing to help extend a restraining order for baby Aaden Moreno.
• Tony Moreno, the baby’s father, threw the child from the Arrigoni Bridge and is serving a 70-year sentence for murder.