Charlotte Sena's aunt Jene reveals trauma endured by family as child tries to resume life after kidnapping
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
MOREAU, NEW YORK: The family of a 9-year-old girl, who was kidnapped from a camping ground in upstate New York three months ago, is now speaking out as the child strives to "resume her normal life" following the harrowing and days-long ordeal.
In late September, the child was abducted while riding her bike around Moreau Lake State Park, just outside of Saratoga Springs, during a family camping trip.
Fortunately, within 48 hours, authorities rescued the child, finding her hidden in a cabinet inside the mobile home of a local man, 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr.
Jene Sena expresses hope that case would raise awareness about abductions
According to the New York Post, Jene Sena, aunt of the victim Charlotte Sena, has opened up about her grief, expressing sentiments that echo the thoughts many have when they become aware of such situations: “You always say this type of stuff doesn’t happen to you, but obviously it can happen to you.”
Sena recounted the overwhelming relief she felt when learning that the police had finally located her niece after an extensive multi-agency manhunt, “Pure torture, pure, pure torture really, you’re thinking like, ‘What if this doesn’t end soon?’ ‘What if we can’t find her,’ all of the what-ifs.”
Describing the ordeal as a roller coaster, she emphasized that the child, who didn't ask for what happened, is now attempting to resume her normal life.
Sena acknowledged the unfortunate reality of predators in today's world, expressing her hope for justice not only in ensuring the perpetrator is safely kept away but also in providing the young victim with a strong support system and the necessary tools to move forward.
She added, “This isn’t just a headline. This isn’t just something to get clicks. This is a real person, a real child, a real family.”
The aunt shared with the network that the young victim would spend Christmas with her family, and she expressed the desire that this case would raise awareness about other abductions and foster increased sensitivity in the legal system.
How did authorities rescue Charlotte Sena from kidnapper Craig Ross Jr?
After an exhaustive 48-hour search, 9-year-old fourth-grader Charlotte Sena was rescued on Monday, October 2.
The child had mysteriously disappeared while camping with her family. She was last seen around 6.15 pm on Saturday, September 30, when she separated from her friends to cycle a lap of the trail alone.
Within 15 minutes of her parents David and Trisha Sena's search, authorities were called to the scene at 6.37 pm. Subsequently, an Amber Alert was issued for the child, generating considerable attention.
The buzz intensified until New York Governor Kathy Hochul disclosed that officers had found Charlotte concealed in a cabinet inside Craig Nelson Ross's van on Monday afternoon, October 2.
Ross, a 47-year-old residing in a trailer on his mother's property on Barrett Road in Milton, New York, was identified after he dropped a ransom note inside Sena's parents' mailbox at 4.20 am on Monday.
The note, covered with his DNA and fingerprints, led authorities to him. Around 2.30 pm, investigators found a fingerprint match in the database linked to a DWI arrest made in Saratoga County in 1999.
Following this discovery, they pinpointed Ross Jr's location and initiated an operation to rescue Charlotte.
Later that day, two SWAT teams—one state and one federal—swooped in on the property using helicopters, with Ross reportedly putting up a struggle.
Ross Jr was immediately arrested at the scene and is currently under investigation, facing charges of first-degree kidnapping.
Post-rescue, Charlotte was swiftly taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital, where she is reported to be in good health, as per dailymail.
