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NEW YORK — Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl who disappeared in Moreau Lake State Park over the weekend, has been found safe and a suspect is in custody, New York State Police said Monday evening.
Fingerprints on a ransom note left at Sena’s parents’ home led police to the suspect, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. The governor added technology was a huge help in finding the girl.
“Checking on cellphone pings throughout the towers, which helps you identify the people who have been in the park at a certain time and where their phones were later,” said Hochul. “Also searched for known sex offenders.”
State police said they identified the suspect as being in the area of the park around the time Sena went missing Saturday.
Sena was found “in good health” just after 6:30 p.m. Monday as police searched multiple residences where where suspect was known to live.
“Child abductions by strangers, if that is the case here, are normally not kidnap for ransom cases. That would be unusual,” said John Miller, a law enforcement analyst.
“The fact that this little girl is with her family, their family is whole again tonight. Long road to recovery. The trauma she experienced I’m sure is immense,” said Callahan Walsh, from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Sena and her family were camping in the park, located about 45 miles north of Albany, when she went for a bike ride with friends Saturday and vanished. Sena went for one more ride on her own and didn’t return.
Sena’s family began looking for her and found her abandoned bike. Her mother called police to report her missing and authorities began searching around the clock.
An Amber alert was issued Sunday morning as investigators believed there was a strong chance Sena was abducted.
Monday, the FBI joined the search. Crews used drones and bloodhounds to scour the 6,000-acre park.
The case “is still an active investigation,” police said.
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