Autopsy On Boy Reported Missing In Haddon Township Inconclusive
By Cleve Bryan
HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) — An autopsy has been completed on a three-year-old New Jersey boy who was found dead three hours after he was reported missing, but authorities say they still cannot determine the cause of death.
The Camden County Prosecutor's office says the results are still pending from the autopsy, which means they were not able to get an immediate cause or manner of death.
"Could not even imagine what those parents are going through, what the family is going through," said Joanna Kovlak of Haddon Township.
People in Haddon Township are beside themselves over the death of three-year-old Brendan Creato. A vigil Tuesday night brought the small town together, but it doesn't dull the pain.
"I know last night I couldn't sleep, I didn't know the child, I didn't know the family but that's all I could think about," said Maureen Irvin of Haddon Township.
A K-9 team found the boy's body around 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Cooper River Park about a half mile from where he was reported missing at his father's apartment.
--911: "911, What is your emergency?"
--Father: "I just woke up and my three-year-old is missing."
Eyewitness News obtained a recording of the 911 call Brendan's father made around 6 a.m.
--911: "Ok, and you didn't hear anything or see anything, nothing like that?"
--Father: "No, I just woke up and he wasn't in my apartment. I don't know if he wandered out or what happened. I don't know where he is. The door was locked. I guess he unlocked it and left."
During the call you can faintly hear people calling the toddler's name.
"Brendan!"
"It's been a living hell," said Carol DeAngelo, who lives right across the street from Brendan's father and says she's known him and his family for about 18 years.
"They're amazing people. We've known them for 18 years that we've lived here and for something like this to happen, it's absolutely devastating," said DeAngelo.
But with investigators unable to determine the cause and manner of Brendan's death, uneasy feelings fill the town.
"I would just want to make sure my kids are more safe, maybe not even open the windows at night time if he was abducted," said Kovlak.
Eyewitness News reached out to Brendan's father on his cell phone. There was an answer, the man on the other line said he was too upset to talk.
