An Amber alert is the absolute worst indication, considering that it implies a child is in danger. New York State Park was haunted by a similar alert on September 30, when a nine-year-old girl was reported missing from the campsite.
Charlotte Sena was camping with her family in Moreau Lake State Park. While the adults were setting up the camp and preparing food, Charlotte and her close friends went on a bike ride, and she was spotted by a few campers in one of the park’s loops at around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday.
After going rounds in the loop with her friends, she decided to go for the last one by herself, which takes about five minutes.
However, Charlotte didn’t return even after half an hour went by. Panic hovered over the family as her mother immediately reported her missing at around 6:45 p.m. Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone of the New York State Police said that they found her bike in the loop with no signs of Charlotte in sight.
They sprung into action, covering the perimeter as they suspected that Charlotte might be nearby. CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller stated that–
“Once they found her bike during that search, they realized she’s not on it, she hasn’t gone too far, she didn’t get lost. Something’s really wrong.”
However, the case has fortunately reached a positive outcome.
Charlotte Sena was found in good health on Monday, October 2. New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the case in a press conference, stating that the 9-year-old has been located and taken for preliminary medical care. The New York police have also apprehended a suspect, identified as 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross, Jr., based on the DNA evidence found on the ransom note sent to Charlotte’s parents.
Did They Find the Missing 9-Year-Old Girl?
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Police Department has successfully found the missing nine-year-old after two days of grueling search operations. By Monday, the search party reached about 400 volunteers, including helpers from 34 fire departments and federal, state, and local law enforcement. Around 46 miles of the area was covered, probing every corner of the state park.
The investigators found Charlotte in a cabinet, hidden in the camper behind a resident’s house. Hochul said. “She knew she was being rescued. She knew she was in safe hands.”
How Did They Find Charlotte Sena?
But the case uncovered an unsettling truth– the resident’s house belonged to the perpetrator’s mother, who abducted Charlotte during her bike ride.
During the press conference, the governor disclosed the transpired events–
- Charlotte’s parents were still at the campsite, hoping they would find their daughter.
- Meanwhile, a few police officers were deployed at their house in case they found any clues.
- Unbeknownst to the suspect, who thought no one was at home, he pulled up in his car at around 4:20 a.m. He went over to the mailbox and dropped a ransom note in the wee hours of Monday.
- The investigators found the ransom note almost immediately and submitted it for DNA analysis.
- After running it through the database, the investigators found luck on the second try with a DNA match to 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross, Jr.
- Police arrested him from his mother’s house at the camper. Hochul said that two SWAT teams were deployed– “They had what they call a dynamic entry tactical maneuver, and within the camper, they located the suspect.”
- Some reports even suggest Craig is a registered s*x offender and a p*dophile. However, there are no verifications on these allegations yet.
- The case is still under investigation, and no further information is disclosed concerning Charlotte and her family’s privacy.
The community is glad they found Charlotte safely, and police withdrew the amber alert on Monday morning.
What are your thoughts on this case? Do you think the perpetrator has done such kidnappings before?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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