Charlotte Sena, who went missing two days ago in upstate New York while camping with her family, has been found and a suspect has been taken into custody, police said.
"Charlotte has been found safe and in good health," New York State Police (NYSP) posted in an update on Facebook shortly after 7 p.m. Monday. In a later online statement, NYSP announced that a suspect was apprehended.
At the time of publication, there was no additional information about the suspect or details of Sena's reemergence. NYSP said it is still an active investigation.
Newsweek reached out to her aunt, Jené Sena, via Facebook on Monday for comment.
Sena, of Greenfield, New York, which is five miles north of Saratoga Springs, was camping with her family in nearby Moreau Lake State Park when she took off on a quick solo "big girl" bike ride at roughly 6:15 p.m. Saturday and failed to return, Governor Kathy Hochul said in a press conference Sunday.
The girl's family, along with nearby campers, began looking for her around 6:30 p.m., and Sena's bike was discovered at 6:45 p.m., New York State Police (NYSP) Lieutenant Colonel Richard L. Mazzone said in the news conference. Her mother called state police two minutes after the bike was found to report the 9-year-old missing and law enforcement began searching around 7 p.m., he said.
When the "exhaustive search" in the state park failed to find Sena, an AMBER alert was activated on Sunday, Mazzone said. "When we couldn't find her here, it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place."
Just hours being she was found safe, NYSP Major Dennis J. Schager said provided details of the "extensive search" for the girl, which encompassed more than 46 linear miles and involves numerous local and federal agencies, including the FBI.
The investigation was classified as a missing child case, he said in the updated post online at 4 p.m. ET.
"Approximately 400 certified search and rescue personnel are actively searching," Schager said. "The searchers originate from law enforcement agencies, 34 volunteer Fire Departments, along with private search and rescue groups."
NYSP officers are pursued "all investigative avenues" to find Sena and requested the help of local and federal law enforcement agencies, Schager added.
The investigative teams included the state Department of Environmental Conservation; NYSP; state park police; the FBI; Saratoga County Sheriff's Office; Schenectady County Sheriff's Office; Schenectady Police Department; state Department of Corrections and Community Services; U.S. Marshals Service; and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Moreau Lake State Park, in Saratoga County, spans more than 4,600 acres of "hardwood forests, pine stands and rocky ridges," according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. The park, which is closed until further notice, is about 45 miles north of Albany. Police urged people to avoid the area and a temporary flight restriction was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration over the state park "to ensure the safety of our aircraft operations," Schager said.
"Charlotte is a bright and adventurous girl who loves to be outside," Schager said. "Charlotte has a huge heart and wants to create a club at her school for kids who don't have friends. She always put others first."
Update 10/02/2023, 7:40 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information from NYSP.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrK6enZtjsLC5jpyfmqqcpMG1sYysnKeZXZu8trrDZqqanpVixKmt02aunmWbo7y4ecCbpq6sXW56urHAq2SopJSoeqW10pqnqZ2Rp66vr8RmaHFrYWqDdQ%3D%3D