How a Ransom Note With Fingerprints Helped Authorities Find a 9-Year-Old Girl Abducted From a State Park

 

Parents of 9-year-old who went missing on New York camping trip received ransom note before daughter was found, governor says

On Saturday, September 30, 2023, a 9-year-old girl named Charlotte Sena went missing while on a camping trip with her family at Moreau Lake State Park in upstate New York. 

She was last seen riding her bike in one of the park’s loops around 6:15 p.m. Her bike was found abandoned in the loop around 6:45 p.m. and her mother reported her missing. 

An Amber Alert was issued on Sunday morning, as authorities feared she could have been abducted and in imminent danger. On Monday evening, Charlotte was found safe and a suspect was detained. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed that before she was found, Charlotte’s parents received a ransom note at their home, which had fingerprints on it that helped the authorities track down the suspect and locate Charlotte.

Background:

Charlotte Sena was camping with her family at Moreau Lake State Park, a 4,600-acre park that lies amid hardwood forests, pine stands and rocky ridges. She went on a bike ride with close friends around dinner time and wanted to do one more loop herself. 

Her mother agreed to let her go, but told her to return by 7 p.m.. However, Charlotte never returned and her bike was found in the loop without her. Her mother called 911 and reported her missing around 6:45 p.m.

More than 100 people joined the search for Charlotte, including aviation and underwater rescue teams, bloodhounds, drones and technology experts. 

Charlotte is the niece of a member of the Schenectady Fire Department, which also helped with the search. The state park was closed until further notice.

Ransom Note:

On Monday morning, Charlotte’s parents received a ransom note at their home, which demanded money in exchange for their daughter’s safe return. The message had fingerprints on it, which were already in a law enforcement database. 

Gov. Hochul told CNN that the fingerprints assisted the authorities in tracking down a suspect and ultimately finding Charlotte. She did not elaborate on any prior case the suspect had been involved in or how much money was demanded.

Rescue:

Using fingerprints and cell phone pings, the authorities were able to locate the suspect’s home and surround it with law enforcement and helicopters. 

They found Charlotte inside the home and brought her to safety. She was reunited with her parents at a hospital shortly after. Gov. Hochul said Charlotte was in good health and praised the efforts of the authorities in finding her.

The suspect was detained and taken into custody. The authorities did not give any specifics about the suspect’s identity, motive or charges. They said the investigation was still ongoing and more information would be released as it became available.

Conclusion

Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl who went missing on a camping trip at Moreau Lake State Park, was found safe after two days of intensive search. 

Her parents received a ransom note at their home before she was found, which had fingerprints on it that led the authorities to a suspect and to Charlotte’s location. 

The suspect was arrested and Charlotte was reunited with her family. Gov. Hochul commended the authorities for their work and said Charlotte was in good health.