Charlotte Sena went missing on a bike ride at a New York campsite. Police fear she was abducted
It began as a family camping trip.
It then turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.
Charlotte Sena, 9, was visiting a campsite in upstate New York with family and friends when she decided to go on a bike ride with a group of close friends on Saturday evening.
After doing a couple of loops of the campsite with the group, the nine-year-old decided to go around Moreau Lake State Park one more time by herself.
But she never returned.
The family then found her bike abandoned in the area where she had gone on a bike ride – but no sign of little Charlotte.
At around 6.45pm, the fourth-grader’s distraught mother called 911 to report her daughter missing.
Police now fear the nine-year-old may have been abducted.
Here’s what we know so far about the case:
Last sighting
Charlotte was last seen at around 6.15pm on Saturday evening riding her bike in Loop A of Moreau Lake State Park, according to Lt Col Richard Mazzone of the New York State Police.
When she failed to come back, her family and friends went looking for her.
The little girl’s bike was found in the same area where she was last seen at 6.45pm and Charlotte’s mother called 911 two minutes later.
Police were on site by 7pm on Saturday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a Sunday afternoon news conference.
“Last evening, she went out on a bike ride; it wasn’t dark, right around dinnertime, and did a couple of loops with close friends she considers her cousins,” Governor Hochul said.
“And then she decided after going around True Bay, she said she just wanted to go around one more time by herself – be that big girl, do it by herself.
“Literally 15 minutes later, she hadn’t come back yet,” the governor said. “And that’s really when the nightmare begins.”
Amber Alert issued
Police issued an Amber Alert for the missing girl on Sunday after search teams failed to track her down.
Multi-agency search and rescue teams were deployed to find her, including aviation, canine and civilian support, Lt Col Mazzone said.
Two drones and airboat search teams, including six underwater rescue teams, were also deployed.
“We also have the Schenectady Fire Office assisting with the search, given that Charlotte is the niece of one of the members of the Schenectady Fire Department,” Governor Hochul said.
Police said search efforts continued through the night on Saturday.
“In addition to our massive search efforts, our Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been conducting interviews with those in the park and around the region as well as pursuing all investigative leads,” Lt Col Mazzone said.
“We are leaving no stone, no branch, no table, no cabin, unturned, untouched, unexamined in our search to find Charlotte,” Governor Hochul said.
Officials said they now believe it is possible the fourth-grader was abducted.
Who is Charlotte Sena?
Charlotte Sena is a nine-year-old fourth-grade student from Greenfield, New York.
Officials described the nine-year-old as a white female with long blonde hair standing approximately four feet six inches tall and weighing about 90 pounds. Police said she has green eyes.
She was last seen wearing an orange tie-dyed Pokemon shirt, dark blue trousers, black Crocs and a grey bike helmet.
The nine-year-old lives around 15 miles from Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County, which covers more than 6,000 acres.
Charlotte is described as a “joyful” child who was recently elected a class officer for student council.
“Everybody thought of her as just a really nice girl - the kind everyone wanted to be friends with, the kind that looked out for other children,” Governor Hochul said. “The pride of every parent.”
She added: “Hearts are broken here today in New York.”
The governor described Charlotte’s parents, David and Trisha, as “distraught”.
”As a mother and as a grandmother I cannot imagine the pain they’re going through,” she said.
“On a picture-perfect fall day here in upstate New York, Charlotte Sena’s family and friends gathered for a weekend of friendship and food and enjoying one of the last few days of good weather... so the kids could have a chance to be in nature, have a chance to be kids.
“They were here to make memories - the kind that last a lifetime. But instead the day turned into every parent’s nightmare,” said Governor Hochul.
