Trial wraps in suit against Connecticut DCF over death of baby thrown from Middletown bridge
The trial has wrapped in a negligence lawsuit against Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families over the death of 7-month-old Aaden Moreno, who was killed after his father threw him from the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown in 2015.
Aaden’s family sued the state, arguing DCF should have done more to protect the baby before his father, Tony Moreno, was set to take custody.
Closing arguments were held in Waterbury, where attorneys for the family argued DCF failed to act despite having enough information to intervene.
Read previous coverage of the case
“DCF had enough information available to it that they could have acted; had they done it, Aaden would now be 11 years old,” Attorney Keith McCabe, representing the family, said.
The lawsuit alleges DCF had knowledge of threats against Aaden and his mother and should have evaluated whether the child was safe in Moreno’s custody or taken custody themselves after a restraining order against Moreno expired.
“At all times DCF had a duty to act in the best interest of Aaden,” McCabe said.
“Their failure to make that evaluation led that to not do anything,” said Assistant Attorney General John Tucker.
The state argued the claims against DCF unfairly judge the department’s actions using hindsight after a tragedy.
“It is infected by hindsight bias – death of a child is a tragic circumstance,” Tucker said.
The state argued the tragedy could not have been foreseen based on the information available to DCF at the time and said the case worker followed protocol during the initial investigation.
“DCF social worker might do an A+ job and still get a bad result and here, the bad result was a parent murders a child,” Tucker said.
The state also argued additional investigation was still underway before Aaden was killed.
“We know in hindsight that the child should have been removed … but the social worker didn’t have the benefit of 2020 hindsight,” Tucker said.
Both sides are expected to file briefs by the end of June. After that, the case will be in the judge’s hands for a ruling.
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