LISTEN: 911 call in death of missing 3-year-old

HADDON TWP., N.J. -- Hear the 911 call from early Tuesday morning in which 3-year-old Brendan Creato was reported missing.

The boy would be found dead in Haddon Township, New Jersey, just a few hours later.

The caller identifies himself as the boy's father, D.J. Creato.

"I just woke up and my three-year-old's missing," he says.

The 911 operator asks if the child is a boy or girl, and the caller says "A three-year-old boy. His name is Brendan," then goes on to say the boy was wearing red pajamas.

"I just woke up and he wasn't in my apartment," he said after being asked by the 911 operator if he saw or heard anything. "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," Creato continues. The 911 operator then asks him to stay on the line in case the police dispatcher has any more questions.

Among others, authorities have been questioning the father. He refused comment to Action News on Wednesday morning.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said an autopsy failed to reveal Branden's cause of death.

"Police won't let him talk to his parents. He's been there and he says he doesn't need a lawyer because he didn't do this. We know he didn't do it, he loved his baby," family friend Bernadette Ferrara said.

Friends say despite a number of personal problems in D.J. Creato's life, his son was the most important thing to him.

"No matter what happened in their family life - with the relationship with his wife, his work issues - when he saw Brendan, all that fell away and all he knew was this was the most important thing in his life," family friend Donna Duca said.

It's a case that has rocked the community.

"Everybody definitely wants to hear some answers because, obviously, everyone wants to know if there's some crazy psychopath on the loose," said Jeff Baker of Oaklyn, N.J.

Investigators say Brendan was dropped off by his grandmother at D.J. Creato's Cooper Street apartment at 9:30 p.m. Monday. He was reported missing at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

His body was found three hours later by a police dog in a wooded area off South Park Drive in Cooper River Park, about a half mile from his father's home.

On Tuesday night, some 100 people gathered along Cooper Street holding candles, praying and singing in memory of Brendan.

"He loved pirates and he loved cats and dogs. He was going to be the Hulk for Halloween. He had his costume ready. He was a joy," said Duca.

Brendan's mother, Samantha Denoto, released a statement Tuesday night, reading:

We are heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful boy Brendan Creato. Along with the Creato family, who also lost a son and grandson, we are grieving and tremendously saddened.

We thank the community, which searched this morning for Brendan and gathered tonight in his memory. We appreciate your efforts and kind words.

We do not have any answers about what occurred.

We do not intend to make any further statements. We do not plan to speak to the media. We request that we be provided with privacy during this very difficult time.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Michael Rhoads at (856) 225-8561 or Haddon Township Police Detective Don Quinn at (856) 833-6208.