GUILTY NJ - Brendan Creato, 3, found dead in Cooper River Park, 13 Oct 2015

[101010]

Well, that child did not open the locked door and quietly close the door behind him. And he did not walk to the park and lay down.

So if the dad didn't do it, how come he's not screaming to the media about who had a key and if there was anyone in the apartment with him that night?

Either dad did it, accidentally or on purpose, or someone with access to the apartment did it, imho.

Well the landlord, building owner and/or property management company would most likely have a key to the apartment. I am not claiming that anyone that has to do with/has a connection to any of those entities had anything to do with this child's disappearance, I am just throwing out ideas of who else might have a key to the apartment. Since so far authorities have said there was no sign of forced entry into the apartment. I am sure the police have already thought of that though.

If someone took the kid from the apartment I would think it would have had to be someone he knew though or else he would have screamed and the dad would have heard him. It is unlikely that if he was taken from the apartment that whoever took him got him all the way outside and into a get away car or "carriage" without him waking up.

 

[cattlekate]

http://www.phillyvoice.com/lawyers-sharply-criticize-brendan-creato-investigation/

This new article states it is unclear how Brendan was dressed when found, Dad's door has two locks, and the family doesn't know who all has keys. Hopefully the philly voice will follow up with information on the type of locks (a door knob one and deadbolt? A door knob and inside chain?) and if the lock(s) were re-keyed when DJ got the lease.

Gma gave Brendan a bath, dressed him in pajamas, took him over to DJ's where Brendan and Dad read books and ate chips before bed. And then 7 or 8 hours later, the child is reported missing from a locked apartment! Crazy and so sad.

 

[TTF14]

If this was indeed murder (which seems most likely), what in the world could have killed this boy??? Does suffocation with a pillow if there was no struggle show up on an autopsy?

 

[amanda4374]

If this was indeed murder (which seems most likely), what in the world could have killed this boy??? Does suffocation with a pillow if there was no struggle show up on an autopsy?

I googled this question and tried to find some examples of this occurring. It is possible for an adult to smother a child and leave no physical evidence, since the child is small and cannot fight back. It is possible for smothering to be undeterminable in an autopsy as well. They may find the cause of death to be asphyxia, but the problem is determining foul play.

 

[Hoosgirl]

http://www.phillyvoice.com/lawyers-sharply-criticize-brendan-creato-investigation/

This new article states it is unclear how Brendan was dressed when found, Dad's door has two locks, and the family doesn't know who all has keys. Hopefully the philly voice will follow up with information on the type of locks (a door knob one and deadbolt? A door knob and inside chain?) and if the lock(s) were re-keyed when DJ got the lease.

Gma gave Brendan a bath, dressed him in pajamas, took him over to DJ's where Brendan and Dad read books and ate chips before bed. And then 7 or 8 hours later, the child is reported missing from a locked apartment! Crazy and so sad.

I think it's concerning that dad's lawyer states dad doesn't know if Brendan had gotten out the doors before. He's 3 and doesn't live there full time. Seems to suggest neglect or something else to not know if he's gotten out before. What, he could have unlocked the doors, slipped out and returned previously, unbeknownst to dad??

 

[cattlekate]

Ridiculous. It's been over a month and it's time the media did some digging into public records.

And chat with mom. Did mom and dad have a decreed agreement about child support and parenting time? Was a paternity action ever filed? Or about to be filed?

What is DJ's employment history? He recently worked for his dad at creato windows, which was created after dream houses folded due to complaints to the New Jersey attorney general about engaging in nefarious activities of ripping off customers, doing shoddy work, and not paying sub-contractors.

What is in the court filings and has DJ Creato ever been named in a court action?

 

[Geminigirl77]

...

I do not think an attentive father would allow their 3 year old to sleep alone on a couch next to a door while he slept in the bedroom. this is just strange to me.

I totally agree, I don't know of any parent that would do that, ever.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I googled this question and tried to find some examples of this occurring. It is possible for an adult to smother a child and leave no physical evidence, since the child is small and cannot fight back. It is possible for smothering to be undeterminable in an autopsy as well. They may find the cause of death to be asphyxia, but the problem is determining foul play.

Yes, it is very possible. Many children over the years were declared to have died because of s.i.d.s. but years later it was learned the child/children actually died from being smothered to death. They usually find this out when the mother goes on and kills another child and tries to say it was another s.i.d.s. death.

If they use a soft pillow to smother the child there will be no physical marks on the child. In fact I remember reading a case many years ago where a mom had smothered 6-7 of her children before LE finally found out she actually murdered them all. All the deaths at the time they died were ruled sudden infant death syndrome.

So I do believe someone with strength could hold a pillow down over a face of a three year old and do it so tightly the little child wouldn't be able to move his head. Sometimes when a child is being smothered there will be friction burns/bruises to their face from fighting being smothered.

IMO

 

[amanda4374]

Brendan was either killed by someone or died of hypothermia (or mystery illness).

Police and prosecutor have not released a time of death. Or much of anything else.

Autopsy inconclusive. Toxicology negative.

Dad implies alibi in 911 call.

Dad goes to park to "conduct his own investigation" a week after his son is discovered (according to Philly Voice).

Mystery girlfriend.

Multiple articles about DJ's dad's business partner and shoddy business practices.

Multiple accounts of DJ's "past problems" with no explanation.

Mystery carriage man.

YouTube video with eerily similar theme.

Alleged argument outside apartment building the night before.

This case is making my head spin.

 

[cattlekate]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/342821312.html

New article states DJ's sister made the video almost two years ago and it was about the teen book Catalyst. Also, girlfriend was not in apartment that night.

 

[cattlekate]

The news doesn't state if Brendan was found near a path, but it must've been fairly visible as he was found so quickly. Was he left visible because someone loved him and couldn't desecrate the body by putting it in a river or dumpster? Was this person also limited by time? Or was he left out as a "message?"

We still don't know what Brendan was wearing when he was found. Was he still in his pjs, socks, and slippers? Maybe a pull-up too? Or were his clothes removed by the perpetrator in order to remove transferred fibers and hairs which would be foreign and not from Brendan's usual activities?

Something made the police deduce Brendan was placed there. Was it just the notion that the little guy wouldn't wander in the dead of night a distance of 1/2 mile? Or where there other indications?

 

[Hoosgirl]

I think he was found without clothes, yet no clothes were found to indicate paradoxical undressing from hypothermia. And that's why they think he was placed there. JMO.

 

[cattlekate]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/342821312.html

New article states DJ's sister made the video almost two years ago and it was about the teen book Catalyst. Also, girlfriend was not in apartment that night.

Looking up teen book "Catalyst," it is by Laurie Anderson and the reviews don't say anything about a missing toddler who ends up dead. Anyone know of this book or one with a similar name about a child who goes missing and is found dead?

 

[ptandj]

Looking up teen book "Catalyst," it is by Laurie Anderson and the reviews don't say anything about a missing toddler who ends up dead. Anyone know of this book or one with a similar name about a child who goes missing and is found dead?

I read some of the reviews on Good Reads - it's the one you found by Laurie Anderson. There are a few reviews there that have spoilers in them that include a missing boy who turns up dead.

 

[charminglane]

Well, I read some character studies of Catalyst.
The main character, Kate, has a good girl/bad girl complex.
I see no mention of a child that goes missing - however I have not read the book.

 

[NJmom]

I think he was found without clothes, yet no clothes were found to indicate paradoxical undressing from hypothermia. And that's why they think he was placed there. JMO.

I'm also curious to know what if anything he was wearing or what clothing was missing. I mentioned in my first post about Missing 411. These books chronicle several cases of children who mysteriously disappear and are later found alive and unable to recount how they got where they were or have no idea what happened at all. Other times they don't survive and are found missing clothing, in places searched before, near water, in woods, or too far to have walked there in the time they were missing. One case had a child leave an alarmed door with no one hearing the alarm and in another, a child was found only wearing a diaper and it wasn't the diaper the parents used.

I hope the family and community get answers, but if this is anything like the hundreds I've read, they may not be given one.

 

[Woodland]

Just read this thread from beginning to end. My observation/thoughts fwiw -

DJ woke up before 6:00 am to find Brendan missing. Brendan's mom lives 1 block away, his paternal grandparents live 2 blocks away. DJ calls grandmother who arrives by 6:00 am and 911 is called from the apartment. Very wrong and very telling imo.

What should have happened imo if the above events are true, and to give this version a ring of truth is, DJ should have called Brendan's mom first - from his cell (assuming he has one) while he's running out the door and covering the 1 block distance to her house on foot.

By then DJ would have known Brendan did not walk to his mom's house. DJ should have then covered the distance to grandparents place on foot - with mom running with him and calling out Brendan's name. Have to figure Brendan walked back and forth to all 3 places many times on a nice day.

Then call 911, or call 911 while covering the streets between residences.

I think LE is handling this in a good way - with silence. Mom has correctly said nothing to media yet - suspect she may be in the loop though - she has proven that she should be imo. The neighborhood should stop worrying imo - LE has already stated there was no forced entry. Hint, hint.

All the noise is coming from one combined camp. What's their concern?

All jmo.

 

[south fishy]

RE: the mystery older man with the carriage: I live in Philly, across the River, and often come upon older men using carriages/strollers to haul stuff around. Assuming these men are homeless, but they aren't always completely disheveled looking. And more often than not, the area where an infant would normally be is covering whatever they have in there with a blanket. This always stands out because I've never seen this anywhere else. Shopping carts, etc., but not carriages/strollers. Just pointing this out because it very well could be completely unrelated to this case.

Also, re: young girlfriend of dad- for someone who was so vocal right after the event, she sure is being kept quiet now. I find just as many red flags about her as Brendan's dad or grandparents. She pretty much announced a motive in her whining SM posts.

 

[Woodland]

Agree on every point south fishy. Find myself torn on the carriage/stroller playing a roll. But, in the first articles, did the dogs follow the scent from the apartment to the park? That would be one way to 'handle' the situation. Thinking lividity is playing a role when LE states Brendan was placed in the park. That's going to get someone every time imo. Not an expert but wouldn't lifting a deceased person disturb lividity, let alone moving them?

Gf was whining early on - typically 17 imo - all about them. Can't see her being involved - yet.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The news doesn't state if Brendan was found near a path, but it must've been fairly visible as he was found so quickly. Was he left visible because someone loved him and couldn't desecrate the body by putting it in a river or dumpster?

a police dog found Brendan dead 8 blocks away, in a wooded area near the Cooper River.