Alert issued for 9-year-old girl who vanished during bike ride while on family camping trip

New York State Police have activated an amber alert for the suspected child abduction of a nine-year-old.

Charlotte Sena was camping with her family in New York's Moreau Lake State Park, playing on her bike on Saturday (September 31), making loops around the family's picnicking field by herself.

In a press conference held yesterday (Sunday, 1 October), New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said Charlotte had set off on a final loop at around 6:15pm after saying 'she wanted to go around one more time by herself' and 'be that big girl,' but the nine-year-old never came back.

Fifteen minutes after the nine-year-old set off for her final lap, her family and other campers went to look for her.

At 6:47pm, police were called and a search party was formed, 'over 100 personnel deployed and 75 law enforcement on the ground' since, according to Gov. Hochel.

New York State Police took to X - formerly known as Twitter - yesterday, revealing that it's issued an amber alert in relation to Charlotte's disappearance, fearing the nine-year-old was abducted when cycling around Loop A by herself.

X/ @nyspolice

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Amber alert means police suspect a child has been 'taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death'.

The post by NYSP reads: "***AMBER ALERT ACTIVATED***

"PLEASE SHARE!

"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."

X/ @nyspolice

Charlotte is nine years old, white and has blond hair. She measures 5ft 1inch and weighs 90lbs.

The alert also notes other information: "Charlotte was last seen on Loop A in the Moreau Lake State Park in the Town of Moreau, Saratoga County at approximately 6:15pm on Saturday, September 30.

"Charlotte was last seen wearing an orange tie-die Pokemon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs and a grey bike helmet."

Hochul resolved: "We are leaving no stone, no branch, no table, no cabin unturned, untouched, unexamined in our search to find Charlotte.

"I promised her parents we will find her daughter. She's all of our daughters. Their family needs love. They need prayers.

"Hearts are broken here today in New York. Hopefully there'll be a reunion. Hopefully they'll be a family that has been traumatized, but as reunited. That is our prayer and our hope at this time."

Anyone with any information should call the NYSP at (518) 457-6811 or dial 911.

Topics: US News, New York, Social Media, Twitter

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.