How the fingerprint on a note led police to the suspect in the kidnapping of Charlotte Sena

On Saturday, 9-year-old Charlotte Sena was last seen riding her bike alone on Friday at Lake Moreau State Park, a popular recreational site about 28 miles north of Albany in New York. She had come to that place with her family to camp, but ended up kidnapped. After two days of frantic searches, and thanks to a ransom note that was found in the mailbox of her home, police managed to find her alive on Monday. This is the story.

At 6:45 pm on Saturday, the mother of Charlotte reported the disappearance of her daughter after the bicycle of the girl was found abandoned, reported Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone, of the New York State Police.

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As the hours passed, the search for Charlotte spread across several municipalities, while the hypothesis of kidnapping gained more and more strength.

In a press release, police described Charlotte as “a smart and adventurous girl who loves being outdoors.”

Amber Alert issued for Charlotte Sena’s disappearance.

“Charlotte has a huge heart and wants to create a club at her school for children who don’t have friends. “He always put others first” said police, who at the time assured the public that they were working tirelessly to find her.

On Monday, according to CNN, The search area covered 75 linear kilometers. That day, about 400 state, federal and local police officers, as well as private groups and volunteer firefighters, were working to find Charlotte.

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Finally, the trail that led to where he was kidnapped the girl came from the mailbox of her own home.

A blackmail note addressed to parents of Charlotte had been left in the mail box. The police analyzed the writing and found a fingerprint.

Charlotte Sena was kidnapped on Friday. (AP).

It is now known that it was the kidnapper himself who left the note around 4:20 am on Mondaywhile the family was still at camp looking for their daughter.

The house was under police surveillance, but at the time the note was left, officers were unable to see the suspect because they were responding to another call in the area.

That same Monday, at 2:30 p.m., after the fingerprint analysis of the note matched those of a person who was arrested in 1999 for drunk driving.

Officers block off Lake Moreau State Park as they search Charlotte Sena on Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Hill)

Authorities then identified the suspect as Craig Ross Jr. (47 years old), who was arrested on Monday night with the help of two SWAT teams who descended from a helicopter to his home, a trailer that was next to his mother’s house, Telemundo reported.

The man suffered minor injuries because he resisted arrest.

Nonetheless, Charlotte was found hiding in a closet. “She knew they were rescuing her,” explained the governor of New York Kathy Hochul.

Then Charlotte Sena She was sent to a hospital to be examined by doctors. In that same place he finally managed to reunite with his family.

NBC News correspondent Kristen Dahlgren posted a video showing the girl’s family applauding and celebrating Monday night with the news that Charlotte had been found safe and sound.

Charlotte Sena’s family celebrating her being found ALIVE after 48 hours!!! #absent #MoreauLakeStatePark @nyspolice @NBCNightlyNews @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/QRfRRAmXRn

-Kristen Dahlgren (@kristendahlgren) October 2, 2023

In addition to fingerprintsthe researchers also analyzed the signs of cell phones on the outskirts of the park at the time of the disappearance of Charlottesaid the governor Hochul for CNN.

Craig Nelson Ross Jr.

Data was also obtained from park records, which contain information about visitors who paid admission or signed up to stay overnight at the campground.

After his arrest, Craig Nelson Ross Jr. was accused of a crime of first-degree kidnapping, the New York State Police said Tuesday, noting that additional charges are planned. He is being held without bail.

The police are investigating whether Charlotte was attacked randomly. It is also unknown whether Ross was known to the family. They are also trying to find out if he was harassing the girl, if he is a pedophile or if he is a criminal who was just trying to make some money.

The kidnapper lived just a three-minute drive from the house. Charlotteaccording to Univision.

His neighbors told the Daily Mail that Ross Jr. suffers from multiple sclerosis and that he had recently moved to his mother’s property due to his condition.

His son, Joshua Ross, told TMZ that what his father did “is disgusting, it’s disgusting… he should die. “I couldn’t care less.”

Then, from inside his home located in Porter Corners, he said to leave him alone and that he didn’t want anything to do with the case.

Source: Elcomercio