Missing 1-year-old girl may be endangered amid 'suspicious' death in her home, police say

iStock(ANSONIA, Conn.) -- A 1-year-old girl is missing and Connecticut authorities fear she may be endangered.

Venessa Morales, 1, was living inside a home where a relative of hers was found dead on Monday night, Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch told ABC News in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Local police said in a press release that there is "an active suspicious death investigation" in the Ansonia home where Venessa lived.

Police said that while Venessa was not in the home, "we have not been able to locate her" since the body was discovered.

Authorities were initially called to the house for a welfare check after family members had not been able to contact the Morales family for a couple of days and "were concerned," Lynch said.

Officers arrived at the home before 8 p.m. and found evidence outside that prompted them to force entry, according to authorities.

It was then that they said they found a victim. Authorities would not say how the victim is related to Venessa.

Family members told police the little girl "was always at the house," Lynch said.

Authorities are waiting for the medical examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death into the victim.

Police told ABC New Haven affiliate WTNH that the girl's father is cooperating with authorities.

Authorities are waiting for the medical examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death into the victim.

Ansonia is located about 10 miles west of New Haven.

Venessa has brown hair and brown eyes, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ansonia Police Department at 203-735-1885.

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