The tranquility of a family camping trip turned into a nightmare when nine-year-old Charlotte Sena disappeared during a bike ride at Moreau Lake State Park, New York.
The incident occurred on a Saturday evening and the last sighting of Charlotte was around 6:15 pm. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children expressed grave concerns about her safety, stating circumstances surrounding her disappearance suggest she is in imminent danger of serious harm or even death.
Charlotte, a fourth-grade student from Greenfield, was enjoying a camping trip with her family and friends. She was last seen wearing an orange tie-dye Pokémon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs, and a gray bike helmet.
***AMBER ALERT ACTIVATED***
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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/LVV41fAAyK
— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) October 1, 2023
She is described as a white girl with blonde hair, standing 5-foot-1 and weighing 90 pounds. Her mother, Trisha Sena, tearfully pleaded for her daughter’s safe return, describing Charlotte as a good and trusting child.
The camping trip was a family tradition, with Charlotte and her two sisters raised just 15 minutes away from the state park. On that fateful Saturday, Charlotte and two close friends, whom she considered cousins, decided to go on a bike ride before darkness fell.
They rode loops around the trail, and when her friends decided to head back, Charlotte wanted to go around one last time by herself. When she didn’t return after 15 minutes, her parents, David and Trisha, sensed something was wrong.
A search party was quickly formed, including strangers from other campgrounds. Trisha dialed 911 thirty minutes later, and state police were on site by 7 p.m.
🚨 #AMBERAlert 🚨
📍The New York State Police have activated the New York State AMBER Alert. They are investigating a potential 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.
📍 Charlotte Sena was… pic.twitter.com/wHyaLUQONv
— True Crime with Laura🕵🏼♀️⚖️ (@Lauraonthecase) October 1, 2023
Law enforcement agencies have been tirelessly searching the park since Sunday. State Police Lt. Col. Richard Mazzone stated the exhaustive nature of the search suggests an abduction might have taken place.
This sentiment was echoed by State Police Troop G Public Information Officer Stephanie O’Neil, who described Charlotte as a highly intelligent and adventurous child, but noted that her disappearance was out of character.
Charlotte’s father, David, is a member of Local Union 773 Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters, and Service Technicians out of Queensbury. The union has asked for help in searching for Charlotte and urged everyone to keep the Sena family in their thoughts and prayers.
An Amber Alert was issued for Charlotte on Sunday morning, and the FBI has joined the search. Governor Kathy Hochul assured that no stone, branch, table, or cabin would be left unturned in the search for Charlotte.
As the desperate search continues, we pray for Charlotte’s safe return and urge anyone with information to come forward.
