Girl, 9, may have been abducted at New York state park: authorities

Update: Charlotte Sean was found safe, New York State Police announced Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. A suspect was taken into custody.

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) — Authorities are continuing to search for a 9-year-old girl they say may have been abducted at a New York state park on Saturday.

New York State Police issued an Amber Alert for Charlotte Sena shortly after 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday morning. The young girl had been camping at Moreau State Park with her parents.

“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,” Governor Kathy Hochul said during a Sunday press conference. “But instead, the day turned into every parent’s nightmare.”

Charlotte was riding her bike around the park with friends and decided to take one more loop by herself, Hochul said. After about 15 minutes, the fourth-grader had not yet returned. She was last seen at around 6:15 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Charlotte’s parents and other campers in the area began searching for the girl but were unable to find her. That’s when her mother called authorities around 6:47 p.m. ET, Hochul said.

New York State Police joined the search for Charlotte by 7 p.m. ET and have continued that search on Sunday. Hochul noted that more than 100 personnel – including aerial technology, underwater rescue teams, K-9s, and bloodhounds – have since joined the efforts.

Technology experts have also been called in to “analyze other forms of communications in the park at that time.”

After their “exhaustive search of the park,” New York State Police issued an Amber Alert because they believed “it was quite possible that an abduction had taken place,” Lt. Colonel Richard Mazzone explained during Sunday’s press conference. No additional details as to why the alert was issued were shared.

“We’ll keep the members of the public updated. I promised her parents we’ll find their daughter,” Hochul said. “She’s all of our daughters. Their family needs love. They need prayers. And if you know anything, if you’ve seen anything, you hear anything, please contact 911 to tell us what you know and what you may contribute to the search for this little girl.”

Charlotte was last seen wearing an orange tie-dye Pokémon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs, and a gray bike helmet. She is white, has long blonde hair and blue eyes, and is about 4′ 6″ tall.

Moreau Lake State Park is closed until further notice, a post to the park’s Facebook page said Sunday afternoon.

“Be respectful of our current situation,” the post read. “Please do not come to the park.”

Anyone with information should call (518)457-6811 or email crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.