nbc 10 has team coverage from haddon township. deanna durante joins us now live at a memorial for the young boy. what have you seen there today, deanna? >> reporter: well, many people have been stopping by the neighborhood where the young boy's grandparents live. it's still decorated with blue ribbons, ribbons the neighbors tell us were put up when young brendan went missing, not far from the memorial maintained by people who live here, people have been leaving hinges for the last three months. we talked to people in the neighborhood of both creato's father and his grandparents, they said although they were waiting for news, this was news that they did not want to hear. some say they are not surprised by who has been arrested. >> seems the neighborhood was helping look for him. >> of course. i can't believe it was him either. everyone was searching and helping. >> i'm not surprised, that's just a feeling. >> people assumed it had to be a person because it didn't seem like a 3 year old would just end up at cooper by themselves. tha

creato is led by detectives inside the haddon township police department. he had nothing to say for himself when we asked. it's been three months since his little boy brendan was discovered dead by the cooper river and now prosecutors say this young father is to blame. it was d.j. creato's voice we heard the very day his son disappeared calmly dialing 911 to report what happened. >> didn't hear anything or see anything, nothing like that? >> no. i just woke up and he wasn't here. i don't know if he wandered out or what happened, i don't know where he is. >> reporter: in the days and weeks that followed, neighbors were reluctant to allow their children to trick or treat because there had been no arrest or cause of death on an autopsy or toxicology reports that came back incomplete. creato was buried on october 23rd, a grand jury convened in early november in which the little boy's aunt testified about a documentary she made in college featuring brendan, a boy who had vanished and was later found dead. creato, who was silent today when we asked him what happe

tonight haddon township police and county prosecutor say he murdered his 3-year-old son.nd today they arrested him for that unspeakable crime. what we don't know yet is how the boy was killed and why. it is monday night and the big story on "action news" tonight is the charge of first-degree murder lodged against creato just two days short of three months since he reported his son missing from his haddon township tomorrow. and "action news" reporter dann cuellar live at the camden county prosecutor's office. what's the latest on this? >> jim, making the announcement the prosecutor's office did not specify reason or evidence that led to david creato being charged with first degree murder. we did catch up with his attorney tonight. >> d.j. is pleading not guilty tomorrow. d.j. did not commit this crime. >> the attorney representing david d.j. creato is anxious to defend his client. >> it is not so much a shock as disappointment. d.j. lost his son and now to be accused as a killer is as bad as it gets. >> october 13 david creato reported his son missing from his apartment in

dj creato left haddon township police department where he was booked. here is a picture of father/son, a father and son neighboring and friend insist were close. the the case got a lot of attention because brendan's autopsy and toxicology reports came back inconclusive, the three-year old's body was discovered not even half mile from his dad's apartment in haddon township about 9:00 o'clock in the morning on october 13th. three hours before, dj creato was on the phone with police. >> 911 where is your emergency. >> i just woke up and my three-year oldies missing. >> you didn't hear or see anything, nothing like that. >> no, i just woke up and he wasn't in my house. i don't know what happened. i don't know where he is. i guess he unlock it and left. >> reporter: creato family stayed out of the spotlight since the tragedy but dj's father david creato gave "eyewitness news" this exclusive interview in october, just a a few days after his grandson was found dead. >> word cannot describe how i'm feeling right now. thinks devastating to have him pulled away f

live in haddon township, katherine scott channel6 "action news.. >> you know katherine we'll see if that's it's going to be attitude works. you can see the powerball numbers right here on 6abc during "action news at 11:gloom coming up next on "action news" the two school districts in new jersey that are considering new policies to help transgender students but not everyone agrees with the plan. >> rescue crews in california still on the scene of a worker flapped a trench. >> all the extra gear on the kids this morning. keep it on them in the afternoonly they'll need all the extra stuff because we have wind chills in the single digits this morning and no better than the teens later on. improvement in the numbers in the accuweather forecast and another hit of precipitation ahead. that's all coming up. >> ♪ >> a dramatic trench rescue continued into the early morning hours in oakland, california. a contractor got stuck down a 10-foot sewer line when mud started to cave in on him yesterday afternoon. crews spent hours there way vacuum removing the dir

david dj creato at the haddon township police today was taken into can custody. authorities say he murdered his three-year-old son brandon last fall. it was 6:00 a.m. on october 13th when the 22-year-old father called 911 saying his little boy was missing from his apartment. >> i just woke up and he wasn't in my apartment. i don't know if he what happened out or what happened. i don't know where he is. the door is locked. i guess he unlocked it and left. >> reporter: that call for help triggered a large scale and at times frantic search by residents and authorities but less than three hours into that search a sad discovery. little brandon's body was found in a wooded area in the cooper river park about a half mile from his father's apartment. it has never been clear how the little boy died. authorities announced the initial autopsy was inconclusive. it was later reported a drug screen slowed nothing unexpected in the child's blood. authorities volunteered little after that except to say there was no evidence of forced entry into the father's apartment. back in oc

dj creato left haddon township police department where he was booked. of father/son, a father and son neighboring and friend insist were close. the the case got a lot of attention because brendan's autopsy and toxicology reports came back inconclusive, the three-year old's body was discovered not even half mile from his dad's apartment in haddon township about 9:00 o'clock in the morning on october 13th. three hours before, dj creato was on the phone with police. >> 911 where is your emergency. >> i just woke up and my three-year oldies missing. >> you didn't hear or see anything, nothing like that. >> no, i just woke up and he wasn't in my house. i don't know what happened. i don't know where he is.

creato into the haddon township police department this afternoon.the story we've been following for nearly three months now. back in october police found the body of brendan creato about a mile from his home. his father now charged with murder called 911 to report him missing that morning. >> i just woke up, i don't know if he wandered out or what happened, i don't know where he is. >> nbc 10 is following the latest developments on this breaking news story. >> nbc 10's cydney long is live in haddon township. sydney, you've been following the investigation since the beginning and now this big arrest. >> reporter: keith and denise, this has very much been an open wound and very tragic, very tragic set of circumstances, tragic mystery for this entire town. this week marks three months, but very quietly just before 3:00, and we were the only cameras here, d.j. creato got out of an unmarked detective's car, he was walked by detectives right here into the haddon township police department to be processed. we asked him why he did it, but he said not one wo

lodged against creato just two days sho of three months sin he reported his s missing from his haddon townshipnd "action news" reporter dann cuellar live athe camden county prosecutor's office. what'the latest onh? the prosutor's office did not t specifyeason or evidee that ledo david creato bei chargedith fir degree murder. we did catch up with h torney tonigh >> j. is pleadingot guilty tomrow. d.j. did not commit ts crime. >>he attorney rresentg david d.j. creo is anxious to dend his clnt. >> it is not souch a shock as d.j. lost his son andow to be accud as a kilr is as bad as it gets. >> october 13 david cato reported his son missing from his apartnt in haddon township. neighbors fanned out looking for him. ree hours later a k9 unit tracked the child's lifeless body a sho disnce from the apartment. initially the medical examiner's and they are shocked with the . tcome wondering if cato killeh son why he wld do it. >>hat's the questionveryone is wondering, why. i don't know. >> just praying it's wron we'rell praying it is wron >> friends ever the creato family finding it hard to believe that

we now know how the boy died in haddon township in october. the official cause of death, homicidal violence. and the alleged motive, prosecutors say d.j. creato's teenaged girlfriend didn't like his son and threatened to break up with d.j. because of it. south jersey bureau reporter cydney long broke the news of the father's arrest yesterday, she was in the courtroom today, and she's joining us live from haddon township. investigators learned new details from creato's text messages to that girlfriend. >> reporter: in fact, investigators learned plenty from d.j. creato's cell phone to include some 9,400 text messages. he exchanged with his girlfriend, they say they learned about his jealousy and also about a selfie the two took at the very spot where brendan's body was found, but just two days beforehand. d.j. creato could spend the rest of his life in prison if prosecutors prove their circumstantial theory that in a jealous rage he killed his little boy, 3-year-old brendan. >> described his own state of mind that monday night as jealous and pa

he went missing from his haddon township home on october 13th. searches found brendan's body a few hours later in cooper river park. >>> meanwhile, president obama gives his final state of the union address tonight. the commander in chief is expected to layout what he wants to get accomplished during his final year in office. you can watch an entire address right here on cbs-3, starting at 9:00 p.m. tonight. >>> and, a new jersey bill to raise the smoking age from 19 to 21 heads to the governor's desk. the assembly voted yesterday to approve that measure, it now heads to governor christie's desk, he's not said whether or not i'll sign it. >> 4:50 right now. time for check on your business news, money watch's jill wagner joins us at the new york stock exchange, wall street focused on the problems every chinese economy, affecting us so far this year. meanwhile, hearing some chinese company is making big purchase. what's going on? >> reporter: that's right, china's wanda group buying the hollywood film company legendary entertainment for $3.5 billio

. >> dj creato said nothing as he left haddon township police department about an hour after he was arrested and charged with killing his three year old son. >> did dj creato kill his son? >> absolutely not. >> richard, dj's attorney, and tells "eyewitness news" his client is cooperating with authorities. but says detectives have the wrong person behind bars. >> when this first happened i called it a parent's worse nightmare. i thought nothing could be worse. and i think this actually is to not only lose a son, but now, to be the one accused of killing him. >> the three year old's body discovered not even half mile from his dad's haddon township apartment. at about 9:00 in the morning, on october 13th, 3 hours before dj creato was on the phone with police. >> 911, where is your emergency? >> i just woke up, my three year old is missing. >> you didn't hear anything, see anything, nothing like that. >> 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 was. the door was unlock. i guess he unlocked it and left. >> neighbors

dj creato said nothing as he left haddon township police department about an hour after he was are a arrested and charged with killing his three year olson. did dj kill his son. >> absolutely not. >> his attorney tells "eyewitness news" his client is cooperating with authorities. but says detectives have the wrong person behind bars. >> when this first happened, i called it a parent's worst nightmare. i thought nothing could be worse and i think this actually is to not only lose son, but now to be the one accused of of killing him. >> reporter: the three year old's body was discover not even half a mile from his dad's haddon township apartment. at about 9:00 o'clock in the morning on october 13th. three hours before dj creato was on the phone with police. >> 911 what is your emergency. >> i woke up and he my thee-year-old missing. >> you didn't hear anything or see anything or nothing like that. >> i just woke up and he wasn't in my app. i don't know if he wanted out or what happened. i don't know where he is. the door was lock. i guess he unlock it and left. >> neighbors have been o

dj creato said nothing as he left haddon township police department about an hour after he was are a arrested and charged with killing his three year olson. did dj kill his son. >> absolutely not. >> his attorney tells "eyewitness news" his client is cooperating with authorities. but says detectives have the wrong person behind bars. >> when this first happened, i called it a parent's worst nightmare. i thought nothing could be worse and i think this actually is to not only lose son, but now to be the one accused of of killing him. >> reporter: the three year old's body was discover not even half a mile from his dad's haddon township apartment. at about 9:00 o'clock in the morning on october 13th. three hours before dj creato was on the phone with police. >> 911 what is your emergency. >> i woke up and he my thee-year-old missing. >> you didn't hear anything or see anything or nothing like that. >> i just woke up and he wasn't in my app. i don't know if he wanted out or what happened. i don't know where he is. the door was lock. i guess he unlock it and left. >> neighbors have been o

his son little brandon cree yacht tow was reported missing from his haddon township home back on october 13th. police k9 units found his body near a wooded area near the cooper river three hours later. now, initial autopsy reports were inclusive and no signs of forced entry into that home when made this death even more mysterious. but information led up to the arrest of brandon's father the one who made the 911 call reporting him missing is still not clear other than it was a result of a grand jury investigation. so far investigators have not released a cause of death but we can tell you dj creato is scheduled in in a room tomorrow afternoon at 1:30. we'll be there when he's there. guys? >> chris a lot of developments in that story. coverage of breaking story continues on fox29.com. we'll find newest information on our home page. >>> to your fox 29 winter weather authority. in the first possible flakes many of us will see this season. from wilmington, delaware torque old city, you know it really hasn't looked like winter yet. that could soon change. we are trackin tracking a chancr snow.

david dj creato at the haddon township police today was taken into can custody.ered his three-year-old son brandon last fall. it was 6:00 a.m. on october 13th when the 22-year-old father called 911 saying his little boy was missing from his apartment.

the father had moved out of the haddon township apartment near cooper river and in with his family. his old neighbors always suspected they told us that the investigation was focused on him. even though this grand jury handed out this indictment yesterday it had very little information in it. so no public information just yet on the cause of death, or even, why he would want his son dead but first degree case carries a in bail hold, so this guy is not going to get out of prison, enduring this case. even if he pleads in the guilty and can come up with any amount of money, it won't be any by law here in new jersey. >> unreal, three months to the day. >> i can't believe that. >> wow. >> 6:04. also happening today a special hearing in harrisburg, to determine whether kathleen kane should stay on as our state's attorney general. a senate the committee will decide if she can perform her duties with a suspended law license. kathleen kane says she will not attend the hearing and arguing the the panel has no authority to oust her from office. >>> an attorney for comedian bill cosby, they hav

take a look at the aftermath in haddon township, camden county. streets appeared to be plowed but there was a heavy layer of snow. most drivers we saw were taking their time. camden city schools are closed today. >>> the blizzard of 2016 is giving students extra time to get ready for the s.a.t.s. local tests were canceled over the weekend. most of the tests were reschedule for february 20th. students still need to check for exact times and locations. we have all the information on the nbc 10 app. >>> speaking of preparation, a group of friends in brooklyn, new york, couldn't wait for the blizzard of 2016 to arrive. here's why. they built a boutique winter igloo for two and tried to rent it out on airbnb for $200 a night. they advertised it as the most desirable getaway of the snow-opolis. their idea was quickly put on ice. get it? the ad was removed from the site because the igloo wasn't up to code. >>> here in our area, mounds of snow are unmoved in manayunk. nbc 10 on north fleming street this morning. it's one of many still clogged from the 22

to say his son was missing from his haddon township apartment. >> i just woke up.wasn't in my apartment. >> reporter: the child's body was found in cooper river park about a half mile from his father's apartment. authorities have never said how the little boy died. they announced the initial autopsy was inconclusive and it was later reported a drug screen showed nothing unexpected in the child's blood. authorities say there was no sign of forced entry to the home. >> it's not a shock so much as it's a disappointment. dj lost his son and now to be accused of being the killer i think is as bad as it gets. >> reporter: creato is charged with first degree murder and second degree endangering the welfare of a child. so far the prosecutor's office hasn't said what led to these charges. arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon. live in camden, katherine scott, channel6 "action news." matt. >> thank you, katherine. >>> an adult is wanted for stabbing a teenagerly in montgomery county over the weekend. police are looking for 33-year-old leonard greenwood saying he s

on the last night of little brendan's live, he was alone in haddon township apartment with his father. dj creato. shaw dj's own words to investigator. >> he described his own state of mind that monday night as jealous and paranoid that he was going to lose his girl friend. they were sleeping in the very next room. primary source of his girlfriend's hateful discontent. >> reporter: the defense urged against a rush to judgment. >> he stands accused as bad a crime as it gets and it's awful, but nothing other than this circumstantial case miss shaw has laid out before the court suggests he's going to be convicted. >> reporter: his parents spoke to reporters moments after the hearing. >> we love our son. >> we love him very much and we support him through all of this. may justice prevail. >> reporter: dj cree otto remains behind bars on $750,000 cash bail. the little boy's mother was in court today. she made very clear she did not wish to comment to reporters. iain. >> all right, bruce, thank you. >>> now to breaking news in the persian gulf. the pentagon says it briefly lost contact with

it was our first day of snow this winter in haddon township camden county where we found a man walking his dog? a know squall. >> in the poconos looking like winter has arrived. you can see the snow on the ground there. good news for skiers at camelback mountain resort. >> strong winds snapped a tree in half and is resting on power lines. >> check out the flakes falling in center city just outside city hall. you can see the wind blowing around as well. >> it certainly feels like winter and the biting wind is one of the reasons why. you can see the winds' effect on the flags on top of the airmark building in center city. let's bring in first alert meteorologist sheena parveen for more. sheena? >>> it's getting windy and cold overnight tonight. the snow is gone but the winds have increased. wind gusts 47 miles an hour in philadelphia. 38 miles an hour in millville. the 35 northeast philly. 28 miles an hour wind gusts in allentown so here is what it feels like outside right now when you factor in that wind. in the poconos it feels like one debris below zero. philadelphia feels like 15 deg

cree yacht tow reported him missing from his haddon township home on october 13th.rendan's body was found in cooper river park few hours later. his attorney maintains his client's innocence. >> when this first happened, i called it a parent's worst nightmare. i thought nothing could be worse, and i think this actually is. to not only lose son but now to be the one accused of killing him. >> autopsy and toxicology reports on brendan creato came back inclusive. >>> a historic castle was heavily damaged by fire overnight in chadds ford. crews respond to that scene on bullock road just before 2:00 a.m. that fire was placed under control around two hours later after it started. no injuries were reported. the 12 bedroom mansion built in 1821 is currently listed for sale. no word this noon on what caused that fire. >>> a deadly crash involving a tractor trailer is under investigation. it happened around 7:00 this morning on the new jersey turnpike in carney's point. police say the driver crashed into a wooded area off the highway. that person was pronounced dead at the sce

. >>> in haddon township, camden county.the streets appeared to be plowed but there was still a heavy layer of snow there. most drivers we saw were just taking their time. >>> back to philadelphia. mountains of snow are unmoved in manayunk. nbc 10 on north fleming street this morning. one of many streets still clogged from the 22 umpl inche snow dumped this weekend. it's challenging and people there are losing their patience. >>> now your nbc 10 first alert weather with meteorologist bill henley. >> eight minutes after 5:00. the temperatures have been coming down overnight. much of the area is seeing refreezing. there are a lot of icy spots as you've heard this morning. but we're in for another round of melting. in fact, more melting than we saw yesterday. a couple things working in our favor. we'll see a little wind pick up. that's going to @yd thelting process and the temperatures wind up warmer this afternoon than yesterday. that being said, i am tracking showers due in this afternoon and this evening for parts of our are

to say his son was missing from his haddon township apartment. >> i just woke up and he wasn't in mypartment. i don't know if he wanted out or what happened. >> reporter: an intense search followed. but less than three hours later the child's body was found in a wooded area of cooper river park about half mile from his father's apartment. authorities have never said how the little boy died. they announced the initial autopsy was inconclusive and it was later reported a drug screen showed nothing unexpected in the child's blood. authorities say there was no sign of forced entry to the home. >> it's not a shock so much as it's a disappointment. dj lost his son and now to be accused of being the killer i think is as bad as it gets. >> reporter: creato has been charged with first degree murder and second degree endangering the welfare of a child. the arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon. live in camden, katherine scott, channel6 "action news. >> thank you katherine. new this morning a man was shot in the stomach in front of his north philadelphia home overnight. police taped

prosecutors say that there is no way th he wandered away from his haddon township home because thei waset but e little boy's socks were pfectly can. brendan's gndparents say they std by eir son. >> we love r son. >> we love him very much. we support him through all of this. justice wi pvail. >> prosecutors claim cato acted in a jealous rage cause his 17 year-old girlfriend, who did not li chdren, threatened to leave him. creato's defense attorney calls the the ince circumstantial and weak and claims that the authorities pointed the fger at a e faer bause three months after the the facthey still do answers. >>> coming up on "action news" tonight an nfl te is packing for los angeles. duc rodgers has the details. >>> plus a a pice protest this one is in support of the mennd m in blue. it comes amid heightened statef art for officers in philadelphia. >>> plus lions tigers but no bears, we will explain why a local amusement park will raise e two little cubs fferent scies. adam? >>> jim, wind now gusting to 47 miles an hour philadelphia, plumetting those wind chillsut the aticir is not going

brendan creato's body was found partially submerged in the water not even a half mile from dj's haddon townshipment. authorities never said how brendan died but today introduced the phrase homicidal violence. christine shaw says while there is no definite cause of death, drowning, strangulation, and suffocation, may be factors. >> a circumstantial case is certainly the only word that i can think to use and as you heard me say, in opened court it is a weak circumstantial case. >> reporter: he told the judge dj creato began dating a 17 year-old over sum their didn't like brendan. the two exchanged thousands of text messages and multiple times the 17 year-old girl asked dj creato to be alone when she came to visit. shaw pointed out that dj told investigators he went to bed october 12th at 10:00 o'clock but was contacting his girlfriend just after 1:30 tuesday morning. that was a few hours before creato called 91 reporting brendan missing. >> you didn't hear anything or see anything or nothing like that? >> no, i just woke up and he wasn't there. i don't know if he wandered out or what happened. th

he went missing from his haddon township home on october 13th, and was later found in cooper river park. >>> and, president obama will outline his plans for his last year in offers during his final state of the union address tonight. you can watch the address right here on cbs-3 at 9:00 p.m. >> a virginia woman is alive this woman, all thanks to her quick thinking five year old granddaughter. she has diabetes, sunday morning she felt her blood sugar dropping. hankins tried to warn her granddaughter, sarah, when she stopped responding. that will little girl then found her grandmother's phone and called her dad. >> i called my daddy. >> she remained calm. she called her father. instead of calling directly to 911 she called her father. her father in the process called 911, got an assist, dispatch out there. >> that wasn't all. key to the rescue they had to the apartment building didn't work for their door. so with the help of her dad on the phone, she went downstairs, went through all of those corridors, to let them in. hankins is expected to be okay. smart little girl. >> three police off

strangling three-year-old brendan creato and placing him along a stream near cooper river park in haddon townshipk in october. prosecutors added during his arraignment that creato killed his son because his 17-year-old girlfriend threatened to leave him. the defense calls the evidence weak. >>> police in montgomery county are asking for help identifying this man seen on surveillance video during the attempted robbery of a wells fargo bank. it happened at the branch on the 2300 block of west cheltenham avenue in wyncote back on thursday. the man handed a teller a demand note and a -- and a black plastic bag. when the telltory alerted colleagues of the robbery attempt he ran off. >> it is 5:06. president obama spent most of his final state of the union address looking forward to what he called the work yet to be done. the president asked four main questions how to give everyone a fair shot in this new economy, how to make technology work for us not against us, how to keep american's safe and lead the world without becoming its policemen and how to make our politics reflect what's best in us not wha

22-year-old murdered his son brendon last october dumping his body along the cooper river in haddon township. the toddler was either strangle or smother erred according to the investigation. the alleged motive to win over a 17-year-old he met online. >> he described his own state of mind that monday night as jealous and paranoid he was going to lose his girlfriend. >> circumstantial is the only word i can think to use. you heard me say in open court. it's a weak substantial case. >> creato has been charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. he remains if you do constant watch at a special unit at the camden county jail. >>> coming set up a 4:08 i, john kerry negotiating safe return, the sailors reportedly on two small boats that had mechanical problems traveling between cue wait and per and she gulf where they were picked up by the rely allusion anywhere guard. since iran made a historic deal with the u.s. republicans are fighting back. >> we need a commander in chief that will keep this country safe. >> iran says the sailors are safe and well and expected to be released wednesday

creato reported him missing from his haddon township home on october 13th. brendan's body found in cooper river park few hours later. creato's attorney maintains his client as innocence. >> when this first happened, i called it parent's worse nightmare. i thought nothing could be worse. and i think this actually is, to not only lose a son, but now, to be the one accused of killing him. >> autopsy and toxicology reports on brendan creato came back inconclusive. >>> take a look now at this surveillance video, what you are seeing right there in the orange, that's aboud i can among, trying to fight off a robber in south philly. the suspect snatched a fist full of cash from the victim as the munk was during lottery tickets. as you can see from the video, victim and suspect struggled briefly, before the crook took off in a silver mustang. >>> 6:06 right now. we are waking up to some surprising news that philadelphia inquirer, the daily news, and philly.com, they're all changing hands yet again. but there is a twist this time. owner has decided to actually donate t

. >>> now to newly released evidence that prosecutors say proves a haddon township father killed his 3-year-old son. brendan creato died because his brain was deprived of oxygen. as of the motive, d.j. creato killed brendan because his teenaged girlfriend didn't like children. prosecutors say thousands of text messages, social media, and a pair of socks helped prove the case. cydney long is live in camden where prosecutors unveiled the case today and the stunning reason they say this all happened. >> reporter: jim, prosecutors say j.j. creato's teenaged girlfriend, in fact, gave him an ultimatum the weekend before little brendan died and that he admitted to police he was jealous and suspicious of her the hours before he picked up the phone to dial 911 and report his son missing. now 22-year-old d.j. creato could spend the rest of his life in prison if prosecutors prove their circumstantial theory that in a jealous rage over the girlfriend's ultimatum to break up that he killed 3-year-old brendan. prosecutors couldn't explain how he did it, but say the official cause from the medical

the father had moved out of the haddon township apartment near cooper river and in with his family. his old neighbors always suspect this investigation was entirely focused on him after their worries that the child killer could have been on the loose when no information was made public. >> i thought it was him all along and why it took so long and why they have not said anything about what is happening. >> i don't understand why parents would hurt their children. i mean my kids love me. my grandchildren love me. i'm a big cuddly bear. i wouldn't want to hurt any of them. i captain understand people doing something like that a lot of questions to ask but no answers, everyone is looking for information about it like what happened, you know, just curiosity. >> no other evidence given. the police haven't said anything so that is why everybody thought it was the dad. >> reporter: that is still the case, still no public information on how the three-year old was killed or why and the why, just as important here because this is a a first degree charge meaning that this was no accident but a

jumping his body along the cooper river in haddon township.d or smother erred according to the investigation. the alleged motive, to win over a 17-year-old he met online. >> he described his own state of mind that monday night as jealous and paranoid that he was going to lose his girlfriend. >> circumstantial is certainly the only word that i can think to use. as you heard me say in open court, it's a weak circumstantial case. >> creato has been charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. he remains under constant watch in a special unit at the camden county jail. >>> did you get a fake fit bit this christmas? seems like hundreds of people did. only 13 days into the new year, already u.s. customs and border patrol has seized $35,000 worth of exercise wrist bands in philadelphia alone. they determined 350 smart bands were counterfeit alex and mike. >> no wonder i'm not getting into shape. it's spitting out wrong information. >> blame the fit bit. . >> i'm just going to get big and bloated when i win the jackpot tonight. i'm not going t

. >> reporter: brendan was found in the wood not even half mile from dj's haddon township home october 13th. the his autopsy and toxicology testing came back inconclusive, section chief christine shaw with the camden county prosecutor's office presented what she called a circumstantial case, for the first time the the public learned that little brendan was discovered partially submerged in water at the park. shaw also note that had brendan was in his pajamas and his feet were cleaned. she said he was placed there, and did not leave the the apartment on his own. >> the defendant also told police that brendan had never before left his apartment by himself. he never once left his mother's house by himself. he never once left his grandparents house by himself. >> reporter: shaw also told why the that dj creato began dating a seven year-old over the sum shore didn't like brendan. she claimed creato tried to cat girlfriend, multiple times, in the hours leading up to him reporting little brendan missing. >> 911 is what your emergency. >> i just woke up and my three-year oldies missing you did

taken into custody just a few hours ago and "action news" reporter dann cuellar is live in the haddon townshipwas found. dann you've got the latest tonight. >> reporter: that's right people here in this quiet neighborhood are shocked and stunned with word of the arrest. the mystery of who had killed nine child had consumed many here especially those with children of their own. 22-year-old david creato walked quietly as police escorted him to a awaiting prisoner van for transport to jail this after officials announced he had been indicted by a camden county grand jury for the murder of his son. >> i taught both dj and sam when they were in seventh grade and i'm shocked. i mean i'm really shocked. i'm hoping it's not what, you know, they're charging him with to be honest with you. >> reporter: it was around 6:00 a.m. on october 13 that a family member reported three-year-old brendan creato missing a canine unit tracked the child to a wooded area off south park drive where he was found dead. initially nine medical examiner's ruled the manner and cause of death inconclusive. residents were living

strangling three-year-old brendan creato and placing him along a stream near cooper river park in haddon townshipk in october. prosecutors added during his arraignment that creato killed his son because his 17-year-old girlfriend threatened to leave him. the defense calls the evidence weak. >> it is 6:06. president obama spent most of his final state of the union address looking forward to what he called work yet to be do. the president asked four main questions. how to give everyone a fair shot in this new economy thousand make technology work for us not against us, how to make americans safe and lead in the world without becoming its policemen and how to make our politics reflect what is best in us not what's worst. the president said we must fix our politicsly. >> democracy grinds to a halt without a willingness to compromise. or when even basic facts are contested. or when we listen only to those who agree with us. >> the president urged americans to rekindle their belief in the promise of change, what first carried him to the white house. >> south carolina governor nikki haley a possible vic

he had moved out of that haddon township apartment near cooper river where this owe all occurred. where his old neighbors told us last night they figured this case was zooming in on the the 22 year old father. >> i thought it was him all along. why it took so long, and why they have not said anything about what is happening. >> i don't understand why parents would hurt their children. i mean my kids loved me. my grandchildren love me. i'm a big cuddly bear i wouldn't want to hurt any of them. i can't understand people doing anything like that. >> a lot of questions asked but no answers, you know, everyone is looking for information bit like what happened, just curiosity. >> there is no other evidence given, police haven't said anything and that is why everybody thought it was the dad. >> reporter: one answer we did get through this indictment was that it was a first degree murder charge and that means that the prosecution doesn't believe that this was an accident, and then the father covered it up. they believed that he planned, to kill his son, and covered it up, and then knew al

the say his son was missing from his haddon township apartment. >> i just woke up and that one my apartmentf he wanted out or what happened. >> reporter: an intense search followed but less than three hours later the child's body was found in a wooded area of cooper river park about half mile from his father's apartment. authorities have never said how the little boy died. they announced the initial autopsy was inclop inclusive and it was later report add drug screen showed nothing unexpected in the child's blood. authorities say there was no sign of forced entry to the home. >> it's not a shock so much as it's a disappointment. dj lost his son and now to be accused of being the killinger i think is as bad as it gets. >> reporter: creato is charged with first degree murder and second degree endangering the welfare of a child. so far prosecutors haven't said what led to these charges. his arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon. we're live in camden, katherine scott, channel6 "action news." >> and we will be there. thank you katherine. >>> new this morning, a man was shot in the sto

a police k9 found his body hours later in a wooded area of haddon township. just yesterday, prosecutors announced they charged his father with his murder. >> but up until now, authorities have shared very little information about what may have happened. fox 29's bruce gordon is live in camden tonight where dj creato was arraigned earlier today. bruce? >> reporter: guys, the murder charge in this case was of course based on a grand jury indictment. this evening we know a whole lot more about the cause of death for little brendan. that based on three separate up as and perhaps most shocking we now have a sense of the alleged motive for the killing. 22-year-old dj creato was silent nearly motion less as prosecutors christine shaw asked the question on everybody's mi mind. >> why would someone kill their own child? there must be a reason for someone to do something like that. >> reporter: she was laid out a circumstantial but detailed case that creato had smothered, drowned or strangled his three-year-old son then placed his body in a wooded area near cooper rive

the 22-year-old killed his son brendan last october dumping his body along the cooper river in haddon township. now according to authorities the toddler may have been strangled or smoothers they were not specific how he died and father d.j. is charged with first degree murder but he says the evidence dwens his client is circumstantial. >> circumstantial is certainly the only word i can think to use and as you heard me say in on court it's a weak circumstantial case. >> it's a weak circumstantial case. we'll bring in our attorney fred this morning. weak circumstantial case what does that mean. >> that means he's defense lawyer good lawyer doing his job. look there's circumstantial evident and direct evidence. direct evidence is what people see and circumstantial is different things can be dna or fingerprints and story i used to tell juries there were four people standing in woods and saw annie yu mall go by one says it's a horse one dez deer one says elephant one kangaroo and medicinal marijuana that's circumstantial and the direct is tracks in the mudd. oftentimes it tells you what kind of ani