Charlotte Sena, the 9-year-old girl who went missing over the weekend while on a family camping trip at a New York state park, has been found safe, and a suspect has been taken into custody.
The girl was reported missing on Saturday after she failed to return from a bike ride while camping with her parents in Moreau Lake State Park, a 6,250-acre park located in upstate New York.
Image credits: New York State Police
“[She] did a couple of loops with close friends she considers her cousins and then she decided after going around Loop A, she said she wanted to go around one more time by herself,” New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul said during a press conference on Sunday. The loop, authorities explained, should’ve taken her 5 minutes to complete.
According to the New York State Police, Charlotte’s mother reported her missing around 6:45 P.M. after finding her bike in the loop.
After searching the area with no results, police feared that the girl had been abducted.
The key to locating the girl came from a ransom note that the kidnapper left at the Sena family home mailbox
Image credits: New York State Police
Image credits: Trisha Emigh Sena
The key to finding her came at around 4:20 A.M. Monday when the suspect was seen dropping off a ransom note at the Sena family home mailbox, Hochul said. Charlotte’s parents weren’t home at the time.
The house was being monitored by state police, who tested the document for fingerprints. At 2:30 P.M. Monday, investigators found a match for the DNA which linked the fingerprints to 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr.
In 1999, Ross was arrested in Saratoga County after being charged with DWI.
Charlotte had gone missing on Saturday during a camping trip inside Moreau Lake State Park, a 6,250-acre park located in upstate New York
Image credits: Trisha Emigh Sena
Image credits: Trisha Emigh Sena
Investigators discovered he was living in a camper behind his mother’s double-wide trailer in Milton, outside Saratoga Springs. After two SWAT teams stormed the vehicle, they located Ross and rescued Charlotte, who was kept hidden in a cabinet.
“After some resistance, the suspect was taken into custody, and immediately the little girl was found in a cabinet, covered,” Hochul said Monday night. “She knew she was being rescued. She knew she was in safe hands.”
"After some resistance, the suspect was taken into custody, and the little girl was found in a cabinet, covered," NY State Governor Kathy Hochul said
Image credits: Governor Kathy Hochul
Image credits: Governor Kathy Hochul
Though Charlotte appeared to be in good physical health, she was immediately taken to a hospital to reunite with her family, which is a “customary” proceeding, the governor explained.
Before authorities found the girl, Patrick Kane, family friend, expressed his certainty that Charlotte would be located. "God's going to bring her back home. I know that,” he said. “I mean, it may not be today, and I don't know what kind of circumstances she's under right now, but hopefully it's something that she can deal with the rest of her life because she's coming back home."
Around 400 people searched for the girl, including fire department volunteers, and federal, state, and local law enforcement
Image credits: Governor Kathy Hochul
“Extremely grateful to @nyspolice @NYStateParks police, and all of our partners who worked tirelessly to locate Charlotte and ensure she could return home safely to her family,” Hochul shared on social media after Charlotte was found.
Charlotte's family celebrated that the girl was located after 48 hours
By Monday morning, 400 people were searching for the 9-year-old, including volunteers from 34 fire departments, federal, state and local law enforcement, and private groups.
Ross was questioned until Monday night. “At this moment, charges have not been brought, but they are fully expected,” Hochul said.
People expressed their joy about the good news and thanked NY officials for their work
