Current:Home > StocksSuspect in Charlotte Sena kidnapping identified through fingerprint on ransom note-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Suspect in Charlotte Sena kidnapping identified through fingerprint on ransom note
View Date:2024-12-23 16:19:59
A man accused of abducting Charlotte Sena, 9, from a New York state campground was identified after police matched a fingerprint on a ransom note left at the girl's home Monday morning – a break that led to the man's arrest and Charlotte's rescue after an exhaustive two-day search.
Police were monitoring the Sena family home when a person pulled up to the house and dropped the note in the mailbox, Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a news conference late Monday. Investigators around 2:30 p.m. matched a fingerprint on the letter to Craig Nelson Ross Jr., who was in a database from a 1999 DWI case.
Hours later, SWAT teams raided a camper where Ross, 47, lived behind his mother's home in Saratoga County, less than 20 miles from the state park where Charlotte vanished Saturday. "After some resistance," Ross was arrested, Hochul said.
Charlotte was discovered hidden in a cabinet and appeared to be physically unharmed and "in good health," Hochul said. She was taken to a local hospital, as is customary in such cases.
"We are overjoyed at the news that Charlotte Sena has been located safely this evening after an intense days-long search," the governor said in a statement. "Our hearts are with her family as they welcome her home."
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Charlotte's aunt Jené Sena thanked law enforcement and the families and friends who volunteered in the search.
"We are thrilled that we are home and we understand that the outcome is not what every family gets," Sena said.
Ross charged with first-degree kidnapping; police searches continue
Ross was being held early Tuesday at the Saratoga County Correctional Facility without bail, according to New York State Police.
He was processed at New York State Police headquarters and then arraigned at the Milton Town Court on a felony charge of first-degree kidnapping. Additional charges were expected, police said.
An arraignment memorandum, obtained by USA TODAY, said Ross "wrote a ransom letter with intent to compel the payment of monies as a ransom" for Charlotte. The public defender's office, which is representing Ross, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hochul, at the news conference late Monday, said "there are a lot of searches underway," including of a residence just 2 miles from the Sena family home. The governor added that it had not been determined whether Ross "is known to the family."
Hundreds of people assisted in the search for Charlotte
Ross' arrest concluded a two-day search that saw more than 400 people, including police, forest rangers and firefighters, descend on Moreau Lake State Park, about 35 miles north of Albany, New York, and the surrounding area. Helicopters, drones, dogs and water search teams covered more than 46 linear miles.
Charlotte, the middle child of three girls, disappeared Saturday evening while riding her bicycle on a loop trail around the cabin where she and her family were camping with friends over the weekend. Her family lives in Greenfield, a town of about 8,200 in Saratoga County, New York.
On Sunday morning, an Amber Alert including Charlotte's description was issued. Authorities said they suspected Charlotte had been abducted based on the circumstances of her disappearance.
While law enforcement continued its search and examined the ransom note, Charlotte's parents and siblings remained at the campsite surrounded by family and friends. The Sena family urged the public on Monday to look out for anyone who appeared suspicious or matched Charlotte's description and pleaded for tips to be sent to the New York State Police.
"It's still pretty overwhelming because all of us feared the worst," Hochul told reporters Monday. "Obviously it's a traumatic event for the family and certainly Charlotte, and we'll continue to keep them in our prayers as they heal."
veryGood! (77)
Related
- Rita Ora Says Liam Payne “Left Such a Mark on This World” in Emotional Tribute
- Aaron Rodgers doesn't apologize for Jimmy Kimmel comments, blasts ESPN on 'The Pat McAfee Show'
- Miami Dolphins sign Justin Houston and Bruce Irvin, adding depth to injured linebacker group
- SAG Awards 2024: The Nominations Are Finally Here
- Denzel Washington teases retirement — and a role in 'Black Panther 3'
- Tupac Shakur murder suspect bail set, can serve house arrest ahead of trial
- Barry Keoghan reveals he battled flesh-eating disease: 'I'm not gonna die, right?'
- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, known for quirky speeches, will give final one before US Senate run
- 4 charged in Detroit street shooting that left 2 dead, 5 wounded
- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for infection related to surgery for prostate cancer, Pentagon says
Ranking
- To Protect the Ozone Layer and Slow Global Warming, Fertilizers Must Be Deployed More Efficiently, UN Says
- Diet for a Sick Planet: Studies Find More Plastic in Our Food and Bottled Water
- Virginia police pull driver out of burning car after chase, bodycam footage shows
- SAG Awards 2024: The Nominations Are Finally Here
- What is best start in NBA history? Five teams ahead of Cavaliers' 13-0 record
- China says it will launch its next lunar explorer in the first half of this year
- Trump plans to deliver a closing argument at his civil fraud trial, AP sources say
- County official Richardson says she’ll challenge US Rep. McBath in Democratic primary in Georgia
Recommendation
-
2025 NFL mock draft: QBs Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward crack top five
-
Votes by El Salvador’s diaspora surge, likely boosting President Bukele in elections
-
Melania Trump’s Mom Amalija Knavs Dead at 78
-
61-year-old man has been found -- three weeks after his St. Louis nursing home suddenly closed
-
Stock market today: Asian shares meander, tracking Wall Street’s mixed finish as dollar surges
-
All the movies you'll want to see in 2024, from 'Mean Girls' to a new 'Beverly Hills Cop'
-
South Korean lawmakers back ban on producing and selling dog meat
-
'Mean Girls' star Reneé Rapp addresses 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' departure