The Ansonia community is still not giving up hope in finding missing 1-year-old Vanessa Morales, who has not been seen in 1 1/2 weeks.

Police have been searching for Morales since finding her mother dead in Ansonia during a welfare check. Morales has since become the focus of an Amber Alert.

The search began Dec. 2 when police responded to a Myrtle Avenue home, where they found Christine Holloway beaten to death and Morales missing.

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Eighty investigators from the FBI, state police and local police are working to find Holloway's killer and figure out who has Morales.

Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti offered a message for the community Friday.

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"I want them to pray ... pray for their safe return. As time goes on, it becomes more concerning to me about the whereabouts of little Vanessa," he says. "But the police are doing their due diligence as we speak."

Local businesses have posted numerous flyers inside and outside in hopes of spreading awareness in finding Morales. The heartbreaking case has become the talk of the town anywhere you go.

"I want to cry ... this community, we all love each other, we're a big family out here," says Joseph Simko, of Cooper City Classic.

Vanessa's father Jose Morales was arrested by New Haven police last week on an unrelated weapons charge. Police say he has been cooperating.