I feel sad, empty that Dulces not here today.. Alavez Perez was 19 when she took her kids to Bridgeton City Park on that day three years ago. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released this digitally aged photo of Alavez in 2021. He had acne on his chin. That alert included information that the child may have been abducted by a man driving a van. This is the first time she did it, said Dulces mother, Noema. When Mexico transitioned to a centralized government in 1835, supporters of federalism took up arms. I say to myself, why didnt I make more demands, demand more help? Dulce's mother, Noema Alavez Perez, says she let the two of them run over to the playground while she stayed in her car with an 8-year-old cousin who was with them. Dulce Mara Alavez, then 5 years old, disappeared from a park in Bridgeton, a small Latino-majority city surrounded by one of the most rural areas of the state, on Sept. 16 of 2019. They made me feel so bad. The FBI has remained publicly silent about their investigation since then, but local investigators say all theories of what happened remain under consideration. I realize the family may refer to the young girls as cousins, but thats not the correct connection. Investigators previously described the possible suspect as a Hispanic man about 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 30 to 35 years old, with acne, based on witness statements. While speaking with ABC News, Alavez Perez said there isn't a day she doesn't think about her daughter. In September 2021, authorities released an age progressed photo of what Dulce might look like as a 7 year old. I dont go by myself, I go with someone else to help me watch over my kids.. "She likes to pretend that she was always a princess. Dulce disappeared during a family outing to a New Jersey park on Sept. 16, 2019. Local police want to let residents know they should come forward regardless of their legal status. state, Sept. 16 of last year. A panicked Noema called 911, but despite a rigorous search, Dulce hasnt been found to this date. She likes to pretend that she was always a princess. "It was weird. had been watching the kids from a car when the suspected kidnapper struck. The case was initially treated as a missing child investigation rather than an abduction. Dulce Maria Alavez was 5 years old when she disappeared from Bridgeton City Park during a family outing on Sept. 16, 2019. Talking about her daughter, Noema said, Shes supposed to be eight, and shes not here with me or my family, and thats hard. Dulce disappeared while playing at a nearby park with her brother, who was 3 years old at the time. Noema stayed in the car with her younger sister. She spoke about the moments after Dulce vanished, her regrets about that day and her lingering suspicions about who may have abducted the girl. Dulce Maria Alavez went missing in September 2019. She was last seen at a Bridgeton park wearing a yellow shirt with an elephant on it, as. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Im working under the premise and the assumption that shes still alive, said Garrabrant, an East Coast leader for the FBIs Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team. Dulces aunt spoke to the media. "You have to keep your motor running so you can keep going forward, she added, in Spanish. All rights reserved. Think about it, if a family member was going to plan this and take Dulce, its super high-risk because its in a public park where there could be potentially a lot of witnesses, said Garrabrant. Public Property Records provide information on land, homes, and commercial properties in Agua Dulce, including titles, property deeds, mortgages, property tax assessment records, and other documents. Dulce is a Hispanic girl who is about 3 feet tall, weighing 60-70 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. The offender felt like it was an opportunity for him to take Dulce and leave with her and thats what he did.. No trace of Dulce or the ice cream she had was ever found. Dulce and Manny ran off to the playground about 30 yards away, their mother said. Nearly two years since first being reported missing, Bridgeton, New Jersey has taken a new approach as they continue the search to find her, guided first by If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. August 24, 2020 4:58pm. Some said she didnt seem to behave in the way the mother of a missing child should act, saying she seemed too passive about the situation. Authorities are holding out hope that little Dulce is still alive. The family had stopped there for ice cream before heading to the park. The girl and her 3-year-old brother were playing while their mother sat in her car with an. This story has been shared 130,670 times. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. They bought the house they were living in at the time of the incident in 2018. We're releasing this episode in . "In the absence of evidence to the contrary, we hold out hope that she is alive," the agency said today. Some are the same images that have appeared on highway billboards and mass mailings sent out to homes across the nation since the investigation began. Before going to the park, Noema took Dulce, Manuel and Noemas 8-year-old younger sister (she would be Dulces aunt) to get ice cream, where they were captured on camera. We believe that, in all likelihood, we do have a suspect vehicle on video someplace, said Garrabrant. However, El Ppila residents decided that this would not stand. They arrived at the park shortly after 4 p.m. and Alavez Perez remained in the car with her 8-year-old sister, who was just a few years older than her children. Dulce Maria Alavez was just 5-years-old when she suddenly disappeared from a playground in Bridgeton, New Jersey, in September 2019. Team; Services. She may be reached at dcalavia-robertson@njadvancemedia.com. Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media. Search for Missing NJ Girl Continues, Dulce Mara Alavez Turns 8 as Search for Missing NJ Girl Continues, Disgraced Ex-Philly Councilman Gets Years in Federal Prison, PennDOT Begins Work to Cap I-95, Build Park at Penn's Landing, This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, Wells Fargo Closes 3 Branches in the Philadelphia Area, Plans to Shutter 3 More. For me its hard every day. Dulces mother and grandmother have said they dont think the photo looks anything like Dulce. Investigators are holding out hope that the child is still alive and that a sports program they introduced after her disappearance will help foster trust between police and the largely Spanish-speaking immigrant community. The man is described as a light-skinned man, possibly Hispanic, about 56 to 58 tall with a thin build. ABC Bridgeton, New Jersey, is a small city about 45 minutes south of Philadelphia -- tucked between fields and farms. Lindsay married Patrick Clancy in 2016 in Southington, CT. She likes to pretend that she was always a princess. 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez went missing in September 2019. What if the person that took my daughter might come after my other kids? Copyright National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. She was a sweet girl. Many of these businesses still post fliers of 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, who went missing in September 2019. changed in our family, Alavez Prez said. It's been over a year and a half since the then 5-year-old Dulce Mara Alavez disappeared from a Bridgeton playground on September 16, 2019. her 3-year-old brother and her 8-year-old niece. Information like this is a distraction to the investigation and causes unnecessary grief to the family of missing child Dulce Maria Alavez, Webb-McRae wrote. Its more harder for us because they judging us that we had something to do with it when we dont, she said. Investigators say they are confident Dulce was taken from the park, but they wont say much more about how that may have happened or who was responsible. Police told NJ.com at the time that they were still trying to verify the authenticity of the video. She said she was told they were checking the phone again in case they missed something. Bridgeton, New Jersey, is a small city about 45 minutes south of Philadelphia -- tucked between fields and farms. It was a crime of opportunity. You can also call the FBI's Toll-Free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) and select option 4, then select option 8, or submit an anonymous tip to the agency online. Bridgeton Police Officer Josh Thompson said they don't want people to feel scared and withhold information that could delay finding Dulce. Around 4pm on September 16, 2019 (which was a Monday), CCTV captured the last known images of Dulce. After a frantic search, she called police to report the abduction. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. You don't have to worry about if you're a citizen, Thompson said. More than 40 boys and girls regularly attend the soccer practices. Nobody knows where she is., She was a sweet girl. I want her to be home with us, she said. Authorities believe Dulce Maria Alavez was taken from an area near a playground in Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16, 2019, while her mother sat in a car nearby. Dulce Alavez, 5, Still Missing After Vanishing from N.J. Park 2 Months Ago: 'We Remain Hopeful' 3-Year-Old Texas Girl Vanished from Playground, Police Fear She's in 'Immediate Danger' Bridgeton Police officer Josh Thompson, the director of PAL and 25-year-veteran, said the department doesnt want people to feel scared if they have concerns about their legal status and withhold information that could delay finding Dulce. Because I cant be depressed, she said, her voice cracking and her eyes welling with tears. NBC10 reporter Cydney Long recently spoke to Dulce's mother. 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez went missing in September 2019. Folks may be afraid to say anything because they think, Oh, this person would never take a child.. When asked if she has a message for her daughter, Alavez Perez grew tearful as she spoke. Dulces mother, Noema, who was pregnant at the time lived in a room at a house nearby. On Saturday January 7, 2023, police were called to the Crayton home in High Point, North Carolina. Her toys, too, Alavez Perez said. What Happened? Sketch released of possible witness in case of Dulce Maria Alavez, Community members continue search for missing Dulce Maria Alavez, Reward grows to $40K in search for Dulce Maria Alavez, AMBER ALERT: Forensic expert offers insight into search for missing NJ girl Dulce Alavez, WATCH: The family of Dulce Maria Alavez issued a plea, Family releases new video of missing Bridgeton girl Dulce Maria Alavez, N.J. teacher accused of making 'offensive' comments about missing Bridgeton girl Dulce Maria Alavez, AMBER ALERT: Officials remain hopeful missing NJ girl Dulce Alavez is alive, AMBER ALERT: Park photos, videos sought in search for missing New Jersey girl, 'You can't imagine what we are going through': Family of missing girl, AMBER ALERT NJ: Police looking into social media postings in search for missing New Jersey girl, Bridgeton community joins in search for missing New Jersey girl, Amber Alert: Bridgeton, New Jersey girl still missing as search enters fourth day, House panel votes to advance bill empowering Biden to ban TikTok, NJ man had guns, ammo, fake marshal ID at airport: FBI, 'Havana syndrome' 'unlikely' caused by foreign adversary: US intel. ", Police and prosecutors said Wednesday there's no evidence of the little girl's death and they "hold out hope that Dulce is alive. recovered many years after their abduction, he said. He allegedly put Dulce into a red van with a sliding door and tinted windows and left the park with her. Some at the park questioned how the then-19-year-old mother could eat while her child had been missing for a full day. BRIDGETON, N.J. A new age-progression image of a missing New Jersey girl was released Wednesday ahead of the anniversary of her disappearance. If you have any information about the disappearance of Dulce Alavez, call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), the Bridgeton City Police Department at 856-451-0033 or your Local FBI Field Office at 800-225-5324. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the number below. Alavez Perez, 22, answered questions from two NJ Advance Media reporters last week in one of her most wide-ranging and in-depth interviews since her daughters disappearance. The reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Dulce Maria Alavez, who was last seen Monday, has grown to $35,000. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. If you have any further information, please contact the Bridgeton Police Department at 856-451-0033. On October 3, the 911 call made by Dulces mother on the day she disappeared was released. Dulce Maria Alavez was 5 when she vanished in Bridgeton on Sept. 16, 2019. We dont know who that is. The little girl, then 5 years old, was last seen playing with. The truth is, I dont know. Mother of Dulce Maria Alavez expresses regret, defies critics one year after child vanished, 'I can't find my daughter': 911 call released in search for Dulce Maria Alavez, TIMELINE: The search for 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, Mother of missing NJ girl Dulce Marie Alavez tells Dr. Phil she suspects 'old friend' took her daughter, New Jersey girl missing nearly 6 weeks as search continues. An unclaimed reward for. Investigators think Dulce may have been taken by a man who had So we offered up some more programs, Thompson said. There isnt a day she doesnt think about her daughter. Officials in New Jersey have received more than a dozen calls since releasing a composite sketch of a possible eyewitness in the disappearance of 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, Bridgeton Police. She would never walk by herself or do something like that. Dulce disappeared from a park in Bridgeton, New Jersey, a ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 00:16:37 - Dylan Redwine was 13 years old when he flew to his father's secluded Colorado home for a court ordered visit. All Rights Reserved. Despite. The park is adjacent to two schools, meaning a student may have information without realizing it. After the group got ice cream from a local store, they went to the city park in Bridgeton behind the high school in the area. If she was deceased, something would turn out somewhere, Cumberland Dulce Maria Alavez is depicted in an age-progression image created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and released on Sept. 16, 2021, to show what she may look like as a 7-year-old. Anyone with information about Dulce is asked to call New Jersey State Police at 609-882-2000, ext. Several artistic works now exist in honor of Seora Alavz. Dulce disappeared the afternoon of Sept. 16 while playing in Bridgeton City Park with her 3-year-old brother. Alavez Perez, who was born and raised in Bridgeton, said she doesnt know why anyone would target her. In early 2020, a public library and a casino in Austintown, Ohio, received handwritten letters referring to Dulce. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters. In October 2019, police released a sketch based on the second description. Daniel Garrabrant. their age or gender, said Federal Bureau of Investigations special agent Alavez Perez said she has regrets about the day Dulce disappeared. I want to find my daughter.. Noema Alavez Perez looks at a photo of her daughter, Dulce Maria Alavez, in the living room of the family's house. Shops, restaurants and grocery stores dedicated to Latinos line the streets. It was 7.05am and two people had run from the house, screaming for help. Just last month, someone claiming to be Dulce's father posted a video on YouTube, saying he had nothing to do with the case. The family stopped along the way at a gas station convenience store to pick up frozen treats for the kids. Her mother, Noema Alavez Perez, was sitting in her car 30 yards away helping Dulce's 8-year-old sister with homework. Just one day later, September 20, the reward had grown to $25k.Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae issued a plea for witnesses to come forward: Were asking them, were appealing to them, were encouraging them to come forward., By September 23, the reward was at $35k. Their mom, Noema Alavez Perez, drove them there and remained in her vehicle as the kids ran ahead to the playground 30 yards away. ), When asked where Dulce was Manuel said she ran towards some red maintenance sheds next to the playground. Authorities released age-progression images (left, center) in 2021 of how Dulce Maria Alavez may have aged. Investigators think Dulce may have been taken by a man who had been near the park on the day of her disappearance, and they believe he may have driven off in a red van. The agent said someone out there knows who took Dulce but they may just not realize it. There is a Jane Doe of a little girl who was found in Delaware right before Dulce disappeared. According to Noema, about 10 minutes later, Dulce was no longer visible on the playground. The authorities then questioned Dulces father, who lived in Mexico. Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office Thursday marks two years since 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez mysteriously vanished at a New Jersey park. 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