Charlotte Sena, the 9-year-old girl who went missing Saturday night while riding her bike in Moreau Lake State Park, was found alive Monday night, New York State Police said. A suspect in her disappearance is now in custody, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a news conference.
“Charlotte Sena has been located and is in good health,” New York State Police said Monday.
State authorities add that the suspect is in custody and that the investigation is ongoing.
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After Sena was located, Hochul thanked authorities and investigators on Xu (formerly known as Twitter) for their efforts and the solution.
“After a 48-hour search, Charlotte Sena has been found. We are extremely grateful to @nyspolice, @NYStateParks and all our partners who worked tirelessly to locate Charlotte and ensure she can return home safely to her family,” wrote Hochul.
Hochul later told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Charlotte’s parents received a ransom note at their home. The note had fingerprints on it, and investigators used them to track down the suspect, the governor said. The suspect’s prints were in a law enforcement database, but Huchul did not explain why.
After the suspect was identified, police searched houses connected to them. Charlotte was found at 6:32 p.m. ET, they said, according to CNN. Investigators also used cell phone calls from people who were in the area where Charlotte was last seen, the governor told CNN.
“It was amazing to see him tracked to someone’s home,” Hochul told Cooper. “The house was surrounded by law enforcement and helicopters and managed to bring her to safety. And not long after, she was in her parents’ arms at the hospital.”
At a press conference later Monday, Hochul said Charlotte was rescued in the suspect’s camper. She was found in the cabinet. The suspect was identified as Craig Nelson Ross Jr., 47, and was being questioned at the time of the news conference, the governor said. She added that Charlotte was taken to the hospital, and her family does not want to give additional information for now.
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Hochul confirmed the nine-year-old’s disappearance from Moreau Lake State Park, located about 45 miles north of Albany, at a news conference Sunday.
“[Charlotte] she did a few loops with close friends she considers her cousins, then decided after doing loop A, she said she wanted to go around alone one more time. Be a big girl, do it yourself,” Hochul said.
But after 15 minutes, Hochul said Charlotte was nowhere to be found. Her bike has reportedly been found, but it is not clear who located it, reports Fox News.
The Sena family and other campers then joined the search calling for Charlotte. Hochul said Charlotte’s mother, Tricia, called 911 and New York State Police arrived about 15 minutes later, adding that “over 100 recruits and 75 law enforcement officers on the ground” were involved in the search.
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NYSP K-9 and hunter hunters, Moreau Lake State Park rangers, six underwater rescue teams, two drones, an airboat, sonar and technology experts assisted in the 48-hour search. Before Charlotte was found, police said it was possible she had been kidnapped, the Associated Press reports.
After the missing child report was issued Saturday night, Lt. Colonial Mazzone told a conference call that an AMBER alert she was issued for “kidnapping” on Sunday morning.
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A spokesman for the New York State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information on Monday.
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