A father serving 70 years for murdering his infant son took the witness stand to deny abuse allegations while the child’s mother sued Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families for failing to prevent the tragedy that shocked the nation.

Convicted Murderer Maintains Innocence

Tony Moreno testified Thursday in a civil case involving the 2015 death of his 7-month-old son Aaden, who died after being thrown from the Arrigoni Bridge. Despite his conviction and lengthy prison sentence, Moreno denied being abusive and disputed the criminal trial’s outcome. He told the court his trial was a joke and claimed they would have convicted a bologna sandwich. Moreno acknowledged having contact with DCF, including at least one phone call, but said he could not recall specific details about whether the agency asked him about threats against Aaden.

Mother Details Pattern of Threats

Adrianne Oyola, Aaden’s mother, delivered emotional testimony describing what she characterized as repeated threats from Moreno against both her and their infant son. She told the court Moreno frequently threatened to get rid of both of them. These concerns prompted Oyola to seek a restraining order against Moreno. She testified that DCF knew about her safety concerns before the protective order eventually lapsed, granting Moreno access to Aaden. When Moreno took custody on July 3, 2015, the child was dead just two days later. Oyola said she could not remember DCF taking significant action after she raised immediate safety concerns about herself and baby Aaden.

State Defends Agency Actions

Connecticut officials maintained that DCF followed proper protocol and that their investigation remained active at the time of Aaden’s death. The state argued that officials did not consider Moreno a significant risk before the tragedy occurred. During the proceedings, state attorneys declined to cross-examine Moreno after his testimony. The lawsuit centers on whether the child protection agency’s negligence contributed to Aaden’s death and whether systemic failures allowed a preventable tragedy. Oyola reflected on her loss during her testimony, saying her son was taken too soon and would probably have been an amazing kid right now.