Massive Search Underway for Missing 9-Year-Old Girl, Police Warn She May Be in 'Imminent Danger' as Haunting Clue Is Found
More than a day after an Amber Alert was issued for a missing 9-year-old upstate New York state girl, police are still hunting for some trace of Charlotte Sena.
“The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death,” the Amber Alert said.
Charlotte was last seen at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday riding her bike in Moreau Lake State Park about 45 miles north of Albany.
— The AWARE Foundation (@aware_the) October 1, 2023
At about 6:45 p.m., her bike was found but the girl was nowhere to be seen, according to CNN.
“Following our exhaustive search of the park we took that step of issuing the Amber Alert because we felt that that exhaustive search, when we couldn’t find her here, it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place,” Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone of the Uniform Force of the State Police said.
When Charlotte was last seen, she was wearing an orange tie-dyed Pokémon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs and a gray bike helmet, according to the alert.
“No tip is insignificant,” said Jené Sena, Charlotte’s aunt. “She is a blonde, adorable 9-year-old little girl with bangs. She has green eyes, just under 5 feet tall and she is just a sweet, adorable girl.”
“We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all,” a statement from her family said.
Everyone stop what your doing. This is Charlotte Sena she has been abducted from a campground in NY while riding her bike today. Amber alert issued. She is in immediate danger. Bike was found. Please retweet. https://t.co/gTwcmyvkK4 pic.twitter.com/RxNKg97vWY
— Sheri 👩🦰 (@redsheri1) October 1, 2023
More than 75 law enforcement people and 100 others have been involved in the search, according to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said technology experts have been consulted “to analyze other forms of communications in the park at that time,” according to NBC.
CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller said he expected technology is being used in the search.
“They’re using just about every resource you can think of — helicopters, thermal imaging, license plate readers, video — to the extent that it’s available in that park,” Miller said. “They have some of that technology in the area, but it’s not like had this happened in Albany or New York City.”
Jené Sena said Charlotte’s father, David Sena, is a union pipe fitter, and her mother, Trisha, works as an inspector for Stewart’s Shops, a convenience stores chain. The family lives in the 8,200-person town of Greenfield in Saratoga County north of Albany, according to USA Today.
“It’s really important for people to stay vigilant, call in with tips and keep their eyes peeled for anybody suspicious and anybody that might fit her description,” she said. “Because at this point, so much time has gone by that they really could be anywhere.”
The FBI is also involved in the search, according to CBS.
About 460,000 children in the United States go missing each year, according to the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Most are returned home safely.
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