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The family of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena, who went missing in upstate New York, is appealing for the public to come forward with any clues.
Charlotte, who was camping in Moreau Lake State Park with her family, went on a bike ride with friends and never came back. Each year, an estimated 460,000 children are reported missing every year in the United States alone, according to statistics.
"No tip is insignificant," Jené Sena, Charlotte's aunt, told CNN affiliate WCBS. "She is a blonde, adorable 9-year-old little girl with bangs. She has green eyes, just under 5 feet tall and she is just a sweet, adorable girl."
Charlotte was last seen around 6:15 p.m. Saturday, riding her bike in one of the park's loops, known as Loop A.
She had done a few loops with friends and wanted to do one more by herself, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a news conference. The governor said the nightmare began when Sena was riding bikes with close friends at roughly 6:15 p.m. when she decided she wanted to "be that big girl" and do one more loop by herself.
When Sena didn't return from what should have been a quick 15-minute ride, her family went looking for her, Hochul said, adding that other campers joined in the search. More than 100 people are searching for the girl, including aviation and underwater rescue teams, bloodhounds, drones and technology experts, Hochul said. Charlotte is the niece of a member of the Schenectady Fire Department, which is also helping with the search, Hochul added.
Police believe Charlotte could be in "imminent danger," according to an Amber Alert issued Sunday morning.
"The New York State Police has activated the New York State AMBER Alert and is investigating a child abduction that occurred near Moreau Lake State Park, Loop A, Site 18, in Gansevoort, NY at about 6:45 PM on 9/30/2023.
"The child, Charlotte E. Sena, is a White female, approximately 9 years 1 month old with long, blonde hair. She is approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 90 pounds. Charlotte was last seen wearing an orange tie-dye Pokemon shirt, dark blue pants, black crocs, gray bike helmet. Anyone with any information on this abduction is asked to call the New York State Police at (518) 457-6811 or dial 911 to provide information on a report or sighting," a police statement reads.
"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," said Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone of the Uniform Force of the State Police.
Charlotte's family is now asking the public for information that could help bring her home.
"We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all," reads a media statement from Charlotte's family.
The state park, roughly 45 miles north of Albany, is more than 4,600 acres and "lies amid hardwood forests, pine stands and rocky ridges," according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
A prayer gathering for Charlotte's safe return home was due to take place on Monday night at 7-8 p.m. at Mount Zion Church, Gansevoort, New York.
Newsweek attempted to contact Jené Sena via Facebook.
About the writer
Sean O'Driscoll is a Newsweek Senior Crime and Courts Reporter based in Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. law. ... Read more