Charlotte Sena, the 9-year-old girl who went missing last weekend while on a bike ride at an upstate New York park, has been found, police announced Monday evening.
“Charlotte Sena has been located and in good health. A suspect is in custody,” New York State Police said in a statement. “This is still an active investigation.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a Monday night news conference that the case started to break around 4:20 a.m. Monday morning, when a car pulled up to the mailbox at the family’s home and left what turned out to be a ransom note.
State police had been guarding the home while Sena’s parents were still at the campsite, Hochul said, and discovered the note. They found a fingerprint, which authorities got a match at 2:30 Monday afternoon
Charlotte Sena, the 9-year-old girl who went missing last weekend while on a bike ride at an upstate New York park, has been found, police announced Monday evening.
“Charlotte Sena has been located and in good health. A suspect is in custody,” New York State Police said in a statement. “This is still an active investigation.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a Monday night news conference that the case started to break around 4:20 a.m. Monday morning, when a car pulled up to the mailbox at the family’s home and left what turned out to be a ransom note.
This photo provided by her family on Oct. 2, 2023, shows Charlotte Sena, 9, who vanished during a camping trip in upstate New York.© Family photo via AP
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State police had been guarding the home while Sena’s parents were still at the campsite, Hochul said, and discovered the note. They found a fingerprint, which authorities got a match at 2:30 Monday afternoon with a DWI from 1999 in Saratoga, the governor said.
Following what she said was more research and detective work, officials located a double-wide house where the suspect’s mother lived. The suspect, a 47-year-old male who she said was still being questioned, lived in the camper behind his mother’s residence.
“After some resistance, the suspect was taken into custody,” Gov. Hochul said.
Charlotte Sena, the missing 9-year-old, was immediately found in a cabinet, covered.
“She knew that she was being rescued. She knew that she was in safe hands,” the governor said.
Authorities notified her parents at 6:32 p.m. ET.
The suspect is still being questioned and the governor said they “fully expect” to bring charges.
The governor said Sena was transported to a local hospital as per procedure.
Although Hochul noted it was a “traumatic event” for the family, “She’ll be going home. That’s the story,” Hochul said. “Charlotte will be going home.”
Jené Sena, on behalf of the Sena family, expressed their gratitude to authorities for finding Charlotte.
“We are thrilled that she is home and we understand that the outcome is not what every family gets. A huge thank you to the FBI, the New York State Police, all of the agencies that were mobilized all of the families, friends, volunteers,” the family statement read.
Authorities said earlier in the evening the investigation remains active.
The search for Sena entered its third day Monday morning as her family made a plea for any clues as to her whereabouts.
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