Missing 9-Year-Old Girl In 'Imminent Danger' After Vanishing During NY Camping Trip

UPDATE 4:30 P.M. PST: Fantastic news! The AMBER Alert has been cancelled! Charlotte Sena has been found safe!

Two days after disappearing during a 15-minute bike ride, the 9-year-old was located — and “in good health”, per a New York State Police news release! But near as we can tell, this was not just a case of a child wandering off.

No, because the one other update provided?!

“A suspect is in custody. This is still an active investigation.”

So someone DID abduct this little girl? But got stopped in time?? That appears to be the case at this time. We’re sure we’ll know more in the next day or so.

Until then we’re just so thankful to get such a miraculously positive end to this search!!

On Saturday night, every parent’s worst nightmare came true for one family: their little girl was out of their sight for just minutes and vanished without a trace.

During a family camping trip at Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County, New York over the weekend, 9-year-old Charlotte Sena rode her bike around the loop with friends before deciding to go on one final ride by herself — but after 15 minutes, she didn’t return. And her parents immediately started searching.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed the account during a press conference on Sunday, sharing that the family quickly began looking high and low, enlisting the help of fellow campers. The New York State Police were ultimately called in, hitting the ground running within minutes with “over 100 personnel,” “75 law enforcement on the ground,” Moreau Lake State Park forest rangers, K-9 units, underwater rescue teams, drones, both an airboat and a Sonar boat, and technology experts to “analyze other forms of communications in the park,” according to Hochul. Everyone was so quick to act — but not quick enough.

Charlotte was last seen at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Saturday evening, according to Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone, Assistant Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Police, who also spoke at the conference. Hochul added:

“We also have the Schenectady Fire Office here assisting with the search given that Charlotte is the niece of one of the members of the Schenectady Fire Department.”

Sadly, the only clue so far has been her bike, which was found after just half an hour, at 6:47 p.m. on Saturday night — but cops have refused to clarify where exactly it was found, and in what condition.

Alongside an Amber Alert issued on Sunday, Mazzone warned it was “quite possible” Charlotte had been abducted:

“Following our exhaustive search of the park we took that step of issuing the Amber Alert because we felt that that exhaustive search, when we couldn’t find her here, it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place.”

The full Amber Alert, which was posted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website, noted the youngster “was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death.”

***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. pic.twitter.com/vE6YGbdDP9

— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) October 1, 2023

In a statement to NBC News on Monday, Charlotte’s mother Trisha Sena asked the public for help:

“We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all.”

As of now, police are asking any tip to be reported to them directly, rather than on social media, and in a Sunday night TikTok, Charlotte’s aunt Jene explained, according to DailyMail.com:

“There isn’t information that we can tell at this time but if you can keep sharing her photo and praying really, that is the best that our family can ask of anyone at this time. The police are doing their job. If you know anything at all, police contact the New York State Police. Any information would help.”

Hochul added in her press conference:

“We are leaving no stone, no branch, no table, no cabin unturned, untouched, unexamined in our search to find Charlotte. I promised her parents we will find her daughter. She’s all of our daughters. Their family needs love. They need prayers.”

Charlotte was last seen in an orange tie-die Pokémon t-shirt, dark pants, black Crocs, and a gray bicycle helmet. She has blonde hair and green eyes, and is about 4’6” and 90lbs.

Any information is asked to be reported to the New York State Police at 518-477-9333 or call 911. See more (below):