New York State Police are searching for a 9-year-old girl who they said was abducted Saturday night while she was camping with her family. The girl, Charlotte Sena, was last seen 50 miles north of Albany at Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County at approximately 6:15 p.m., wearing an orange tie-dye Pokémon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs and a gray bike helmet. According to information provided by police, Charlotte is 4 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 90 pounds, and she has blond hair. Lt. Col. Richard Mazzone told reporters Sunday after an exhaustive search of the park, police had determined it was “quite possible” Charlotte was abducted. The Sena family said in a statement: “We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all.”
State police activated an Amber Alert shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time Sunday which read: ***AMBER ALERT UPDATED DESCRIPTION*** PLEASE SHARE! NYSP has activated AMBER Alert for a child abduction that occurred near Moreau Lake State Park in Gansevoort, NY at about 6:45 PM on 9/30/2023. Anyone with any information should call the NYSP at (518) 457-6811 or dial 911.” Adding: “The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death.”
NY Governor Kathy Hochul offered an update Sunday after meeting with the missing girl’s family, promising them officials would find their daughter. Gov. Hochul told reporters that Charlotte and her family were camping only 15 minutes from where she and her sisters were raised. Shortly before she disappeared, Charlotte had been biking around Loop A of the park with family friends and had said she wanted to do one more loop by herself. Fifteen minutes later, when she hadn’t returned, her parents and nearby campers mounted a search. Charlotte’s bike was found on the loop at 6:45 p.m., and two minutes later, her mother called 911 to report her missing. By 7 p.m., state police were at the scene. Since then, over 100 personnel and 75 law enforcement officials have been deployed in the search, which also includes dogs, two drones, two boats and six underwater rescue teams, said Hochul, who added that a command post had been established at the state park.
Hochul said: “As a mother and as a grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain they’re going through. They shared with me how joyful their little girl is, a fourth grader just recently elected to be a class officer for student council.” Hochul implored anyone with information or anyone who may have seen anything to call 911: “Hearts are broken here today in New York. Hopefully there will be a reunion. Hopefully, there will be a family that has been traumatized but reunited.”
Editorial credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com
