MIDDLETOWN -- Crowds gathered today for a walk in honor of baby Aaden Moreno, who was killed after allegedly being thrown off the Arrigoni Bridge and into the Connecticut River by his father in July. The Walk to End the Silence was held at Harbor Park and aimed to raise awareness about domestic violence.
The Middletown Police Department sponsored the event to remember the 7-month-old. Court records show that Aaden's mother Adrianne Oyala was in the middle of a custody battle for the baby and feared for their lives.
Police say Aaden's father Tony Moreno, 21, of Middletown, is accused of jumping off the bridge after throwing his son into the water. Aaden's body was found two days later down the Connecticut River in East Haddam. Aaden's father survived the apparent suicide attempt and has plead not guilty to murder.
The money raised at today's walk will benefit the New Horizons Domestic Shelter, which is run by the Community Health Center and has helped nearly 15,000 people this year.
On average, three women are killed by a current or former intimate partner each day in the United States and over 15 million children witness domestic violence each year in the United States.
If you or someone you know has become a victim of domestic violence, contact The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services' 24-hour crisis hotline at 203-736-9944 or toll free 1-888-774-2900.