9-year-old abducted while on family camping trip found alive in cupboard of suspect's trailer: Governor



Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl from Saratoga County, went missing Saturday while on a camping trip with family in upstate New York. Police suspected that she had been abducted and was "in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death."

Hundreds of first responders, family members, and friends scoured Moreau Lake State Park and the surrounding area for the girl, hoping to find the child unscathed.

Following a tactical raid on a trailer just miles away from the family's home, New York State Police announced Monday night that the fourth-grader had been found "safe and in good health."

According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Charlotte's "abductor is behind bars."

While police employed various high-tech aids in their search, it appears what ultimately led them to the girl was the suspect's brazenness.

What's the background?

TheBlaze previously reported that the NYSP issued an AMBER Alert Sunday morning, indicating that the girl, from Greenfield, New York, had been abducted on Saturday around 6:45 p.m. near Moreau Lake State Park, Loop A, Site 18, in Gansevoort. The alert noted the girl "was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death."

Missing posters noted that the girl is blonde, green-eyed, 4 feet 6 inches tall and 90 pounds, and had last been seen wearing her bike helmet, an orange Pokemon shirt, and dark blue pants.

Charlotte Sena was out bike-riding with friends but had elected to do one more loop down a paved road, which cut through a heavily wooded area.

When she didn't return after 15 minutes, her family began looking for her.

Police indicated that her bicycle was located in Loop A around 6:45. Two minutes later, her mom called 911 to report Charlotte missing.

Bloodhounds, divers, forest rangers, air boats, ATVs, and drones were deployed in the search that followed, which ultimately involved roughly 400 people. The FBI and 34 volunteer fire departments also jumped in to assist state and local law enforcement.

Moreau Lake State Park was closed to the public, and the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily restricted the airspace over the park to protect search aircraft.

Trisha, Charlotte Sena's mother, told the Albany Times Union her daughter is a "good kid" and "trusting," stressing, "I just want my daughter back."

The Sena family told NBC News in a statement, "We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all."

Hand-delivered evidence

Hochul told CNN that around 4:20 a.m. on Monday, the suspect "literally drove up to the family's mailbox assuming they were not home" and left an apparent ransom note.

The NYSP had been monitoring the home while the child's parents continued their search in Monreau Lake State Park. However, when the suspect hand-delivered the note, police were absent, having reportedly been called to another scene. While thus able to slip away, the suspect unwittingly left critical evidence behind: his fingerprints on the letter.

"That was instrumental in leading us directly to the suspect," added Hochul.

The police reportedly tested the note for fingerprints and searched law enforcement databases for a match. Although unsuccessful in their first attempt, the second search resulted in an apparent match to fingerprints from a 1999 DUI conviction in Saratoga, according to Newsweek.

After investigators identified 46-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr. as their suspect and ascertained that he was living in a trailer behind his mother's home on Barrett Road, Milton, two SWAT teams were dispatched.

Around 20 Special Operations Response Team members and an FBI SWAT team reportedly made entry just after 6 p.m. on Monday.

"They had what they call a dynamic entry tactical maneuver, and within the camper they located the suspect," said Hochul.

Ross got banged up in the process, having reportedly resisted arrest.

— (@)

Police found the 9-year-old stowed away in a cabinet in the trailer.

"She knew she was being rescued," said Hochul. "She knew she was in safe hands."

"Law enforcement teams were relentless in finding this little girl — putting the pieces together and leaving no cabin unturned — to bring Charlotte home to her parents," Hochul wrote on X. "Charlotte is safe and her abductor is behind bars tonight."

The Albany Times Union indicated that Ross' arrest was made less than three hours after NYSP said the search had been expanded over 46 linear miles.

It is unclear whether Ross knew of the Sena family prior to the abduction; however, Newsweek noted that his car registration is listed at an address near the Sena family home.

FBI joins search for missing 9-year-old Charlotte Senayoutu.be

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'When the nightmare begins': FBI joins the search for 9-year-old feared to have been abducted while camping in upstate New York



Nine-year-old Charlotte Sena is feared to have been abducted Saturday whilst on a camping trip with her family in upstate New York's Moreau Lake State Park.

The FBI has joined the search, and the 4,691 acre park has been closed until further notice amid growing concerns that the little girl faces "imminent danger."

What are the details?

The New York State Police issued an AMBER alert Sunday morning, noting that Sena, from Greenfield in Saratoga County, is believed to have been abducted on Saturday around 6:45 p.m. near Moreau Lake State Park, Loop A, Site 18, in Gansevoort, New York. The alert indicates the girl "was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death."

Sena is described has having long, blonde hair and green eyes, standing at 4 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing around 90 pounds. She was last seen wearing an orange tie-dye Pokemon shirt, dark blue pants, and a gray bicycle helmet. Police ask anyone with information pertaining to the abduction to call NYSP at 518-457-6811 or to dial 911.

— (@)

WCBS-TV reported that the fourth-grader had been biking with friends, but had elected to do one more loop alone down a paved road, which threads through a heavily wooded area.

"Last evening, she went out on a bike ride; it wasn’t dark, right around dinnertime, and did a couple of loops with close friends she considers her cousins," said Gov. Kathy Hochul. "And then she decided, after going around True Bay, she said she just wanted to go around one more time by herself – be that big girl, do it by herself."

"Literally 15 minutes later, she hadn't come back yet," continued the governor. "And that's really when the nightmare begins."

"At approximately 6:45 p.m., Charlotte's bike was located in Loop A, and at 6:47 p.m., Charlotte's mom, Trish, called 911 to report the child missing," said NYSP Lt. Col. Richard Mazzone.

Yesterday, 9-year-old Charlotte Sena went missing in Moreau State Park.\n\nFor more than 18 hours teams from @nyspolice, @NYstateparks Police, Forest Rangers, UAS, and URT have been searching the grounds.\n\nMy heart is with Charlotte's family and loved ones as the search continues.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@Governor Kathy Hochul) 1696188454

The search underway

Jené Sena, an aunt of Sena, told USA Today that the past few days have been a "nightmare" for her family, adding that the girl's parents and over 30 family members are helping police in their search.

Trisha, Sena's mother, told the Albany Times Union her daughter is a "good kid" and "trusting," stressing, "I just want my daughter back."

The Sena family told NBC News in a statement, "We just want her returned safely like any parent would. No tip is too small, please call if you know anything at all."

Extra to bloodhounds, divers, forest rangers, air boats, and ATVs, police are utilizing drones and other technology in their sweep of the park.

In addition to on-the-ground efforts, police have also been working to trace cellphones utilized in the area around the time Sena went missing and gathering surveillance video, reported WCBS.

The Times Union reported that the FBI is now assisting the NYSP in the search.

As of early Monday, hundreds of personnel from various state agencies, including members of the Schenectady Fire Department, were reportedly combing the area for the girl.

FBI joins search for missing 9-year-old Charlotte Senayoutu.be

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Missing F-35 FOUND!

Missing F-35 FOUND!

US Coast Guard, Mexican Navy search for trio of missing American sailors



The U.S. Coast Guard is assisting the Mexican Navy in efforts to locate three American sailors who were last heard from April 4, according to a statement Friday from the United States Coast Guard District 11.

The missing sailors, Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien, and William "Bill" Gross, set off from Mazatlán in Mexico en route to San Diego.

Their plan was to stop off in Cabo San Lucas April 6 for provisions and to report in before reembarking on their journey to San Diego. The distance between Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas is about 195 nautical miles.

All three were experienced sailors, according to a statement from Gross' family acquired by CBS San Diego affiliate KNSD. The O'Briens hold Captain's licenses with the USCG and have 20 years of experience sailing together. Gross reportedly has over 50 years of sailing experience.

The trio were aboard a sailing vessel called Ocean Bound, pictured above. Ocean Bound is a 44-foot La Fitte.

Cell phone pings April 4 place the sailors between Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas, according to a joint statement from the sailors' families. Short calls to marinas in Cabo San Lucas suggest they may have been unsuccessful in securing slip reservations in marinas there.

The families also say the USCG is following a "travel projection" based on where they would likely be if they lost radio contact and decided to carry on up the Baja Peninsula toward their final destination of San Diego.

Long aircraft sweeps along the Baja Peninsula are underway, according to the statement.

"The sailing community has hundreds of additional vessels looking for our family members," the families said, thanking the USCG for their search and rescue operations.

"Please help us bring Kerry, Frank and Bill home," the family pleaded in their message to anyone who might have any information.

Marinas throughout Baja Mexico have been contacted by search and rescue teams. In addition, urgent marine warnings have been broadcast over VHF asking all mariners to be on the lookout for Gross and the O'Briens, according to KNSD.

Both the Mexican Army and the USCG are seeking information on the whereabouts of the missing sailors and their sailing vessel, the Ocean Bound. The USCG asks anyone with information to contact the search and rescue coordinator at 510-437-3701.

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FACT CHECK: Did George Soros Go Missing?

There is no evidence for this claim

Body of missing Michigan doctor discovered under ice in frozen pond



The dead body of a missing Michigan doctor was discovered beneath the ice of a frozen pond, according to the Blackman-Leoni Township Department of Public Safety.

Dr. Bolek Payan had last been seen departing Henry Ford Jackson Hospital on December 22, the department noted in a December 24 Facebook post.

"His vehicle was found at his residence in Leoni Township, but he has had no contact with his employer, family or friends," the post noted.

Divers found the man's body in a pond on Tuesday, according to another Facebook post from the department.

"At approximately 12:30 p.m. today, divers recovered the body of Dr. Payan from a pond on the property near his residence," the Tuesday Facebook post stated. "Yesterday, detectives gained access into the home video camera system, which was password protected, and observed Dr. Payan leave the residence on foot on 12/22/22, in the mid-afternoon."

Detectives think that the man had likely passed away even before he was reported missing.

"The property had been checked with K-9 dogs, drones and on foot. After not locating anything on land, holes were cut in the ice of a pond on the property yesterday and divers located Dr. Payan's body under the ice today. Detectives believe Dr. Payan would have been deceased, prior to when he was reported missing, due to the weather conditions on the day that he left his residence and the fact that he was in the water. The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office will be conducting an autopsy and toxicology testing, which will aid in further investigating this incident," the post noted

"We would like to thank the Jackson County Dive Team, Michigan Search and Rescue, J-DART, the neighbors, and the public for their assistance during this incident. Our thoughts are with Dr. Payan’s family and friends," the department added.

An obituary describes Payan as a psychiatrist, and a profile about Payan on henryford.com lists psychiatry as his specialty.

Body of Missing Doctor Found www.youtube.com

4 missing Oklahoma cyclists discovered shot and dismembered. Person of interest identified by police.

4 missing Oklahoma cyclists discovered shot and dismembered. Person of interest identified by police.



There has been a gruesome update to the story of the four Oklahoma cyclists who were reported missing a week ago. The dismembered bodies of all four men have been discovered in the Deep Fork River. All four had been shot.

On the evening of October 9, Mark Chastain, 32, Billy Chastain, 30, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29, allegedly went out for a bike ride in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and never returned. Their families reported them missing the following day. On Friday, reports indicated that "multiple human remains" had been discovered in the Deep Fork River. Now, police have confirmed that the human remains belong to the missing men.

Police said that the bodies of the four men had not been weighted down and that the victims were likely killed and dumped in the river the night they went missing. Police have not yet recovered a murder weapon or any of the bicycles.

The details about the violent death suffered by the four men have devastated their family and friends.

"They were upset," Okmulgee police Chief Joe Prentice told the press. "I think they had already resolved themselves that this was their loved ones, but the additional information about dismemberment was obviously a shock. They were very distraught."

Police also added that the men likely intended to commit a crime the night they went missing, though the details regarding the supposed crime are unclear.

"We believe the men planned to commit some kind of criminal act when they left the [Okmulgee] residence," Prentice said.

4 missing Oklahoma cyclists found shot, dismembered had been planning crime: police nypost.com

A witness apparently informed police that the four planned to "hit a lick," which police claimed is slang for "commit a crime." The witness likewise explained that the crime would have been "big enough for all of them," an indication that money may have been a motive for the crime.

The investigation into the missing men brought police to a scrap yard on 20th Street, about five minutes from the residence where the men met on Sunday night. Police reported that they discovered evidence of a "violent event" on a property adjoining the scrap yard. The owner of that property, Joe Kennedy, is now considered a person of interest in the case.

Investigators spoke with Kennedy on Friday and said that he cooperated at the time. However, Kennedy went missing on Saturday. His blue PT Cruiser was discovered abandoned in Morris, Oklahoma, about six miles east of Okmulgee. Police believe he may be suicidal.


Tennis star missing since making sexual assault allegations against high-ranking Chinese official — and now UN wants to know her whereabouts



The United Nations on Friday said it wants proof of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai's whereabouts amid growing concern for her well-being after she made sexual assault allegations against a former vice premier and went missing soon after, CBS News reported.

What are the details?

The U.N. Human Rights Office also called for a fully transparent investigation into Peng's claims against Zhang Gaoli, the network added.

More from CBS News:

Peng, 35, a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion, alleged on the Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this month that former vice-premier Zhang had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship.

The claims were quickly scrubbed from the Twitter-like platform and she has not been seen since, drawing mounting concern over her well-being. [...]

China's central government has refused to even acknowledge any concern for Peng, with a Foreign Ministry spokesman sticking to Beijing's line on Friday that his agency, at least, wasn't aware of the controversy.

Zhao Lijian told reporters the matter was "not a diplomatic question, and I'm not aware of the situation."

Tennis stars speak up

The network said tennis stars Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, and others also have issued demands to China with the social media hashtag #WhereisPengShuai.

And here's what Serena Williams had to say:

I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. #whereispengshuaipic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6
— Serena Williams (@Serena Williams) 1637262000

An ominous email

China's state-controlled media on Wednesday published an email purportedly from Peng to global Women's Tennis Association head Steve Simon stating her sexual assault allegations weren't true and that she's "not missing" or "unsafe," the network reported.

"The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault is not true," the message said, according to CBS News. "I'm not missing, nor am I unsafe. I've just been resting at home, and everything is fine."

Simon wasn't buying it, particularly because the message was conveyed by Chinese state media — and, in fact, it caused him more concern for Peng, the network reported.

"I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her," Simon noted, according to CBS News. "Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communication, to no avail."

The network added that Simon told CNN on Thursday that the WTA is "definitely willing to pull our business" out of China if its officials don't account for Peng's whereabouts and investigate her allegation of a sexual assault.

"This is bigger than the business," Simon added to CNN, according to CBS News. "Women need to be respected and not censored."

More from CBS News:

The WTA, in a deal reached with China several years ago, agreed to hold the WTA Finals in the country from 2019 through 2028. Simon said in 2018 that China had promised to invest about $1 billion in women's tennis, including for the construction of an all-new stadium, as part of the agreement.

In his interview with CNN, Simon acknowledged the magnitude of his threat to walk away from that agreement, and said the WTA was prepared to "deal with all the complications that come with it."

Fears grow for missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuaiyoutu.be

2 dead, 10 missing after boat carrying Cuban migrants capsizes off Key West



A vessel full of Cuban nationals trying to reach the U.S. capsized and sank off Key West, Florida, on Thursday, leaving two confirmed dead and another 10 missing according to officials.

What are the details?

The New York Times reported that a Coast Guard cutter came upon a group of people floating in the water roughly 18 miles from the coast in the early afternoon, with no boat in sight. Eight survivors were rescued.

"There was no vessel. The people were found in the water," Petty Officer Hernandez told the newspaper. "That's why we don't have any of the nationalities or anything like that."

Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay confirmed later that 20 Cubans attempting to reach the U.S. were originally on board the boat.

Two Coast Guard cutters and several smaller boats continued to search for survivors and victims into the evening, authorities told The Miami Herald. The Coast Guard assured the public that they would continue to search throughout the night.

Anything else?

Just days earlier in a separate incident, a raft carrying 11 Cuban migrants overturned during a voyage across the Florida Straits on Saturday, causing them to lose "their food, water and medication," the Herald reported.

The group was able to flip the raft back upright and continue on their journey, making it about an hour north of Key West. One of the men on board had died by the time the Coast Guard came upon the vessel.

"The dangers of traveling through the Florida Straits cannot be overstated," Chief Warrant Officer Matt James, commanding officer, Station Islamorada, said in a statement following the incident. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the man who died as a result of losing critical medicine for a reported pre-existing condition during the capsizing."

2 dead, 8 rescued, 10 missing after boat capsizes in Florida Keys www.youtube.com

Authorities searching for missing DC 2-month-old in garbage trucks and landfill: report



Investigators have expanded their search for a missing Washington, D.C., 2-month-old to garbage trucks and a landfill outside Richmond, Virginia, according to a report.

Newborn Kyon Jones was reported missing several days ago, and his mother is the "only person of interest" in the case, according to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D).

What are the details?

Little Kyon was reported missing on May 5, and he was last seen in the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE, according to D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department.

A source told WUSA-TV that officials believe there was foul play in the disappearance of the infant, and the newborn's mother is believed to be involved. Kyon was not reported missing until three days after he was last seen.

When questioned about the case during a news conference Monday, Bowser said that Kyon's mother "is the only person of interest" in the case.

Sources told the outlet that since Saturday, the search has been expanded to looking for little Kyon's body in garbage disposal trucks and receptacles. The Charles City County Sheriff's Department confirmed to WUSA that it was also assisting in the search, combing through a landfill 45 minutes east of Richmond.

Dustin Sternbeck, a spokesman for D.C. police, told The Washington Post on Monday, "We are committed to finding this child."

Sternback added that "anytime a 2-month old is missing, his whereabouts unknown, it is of great concern."

The newspaper reported that attempts to reach Kyon's mother and other relatives "were not successful."

Kyon is black with brown hair and brown eyes. Authorities do not have a description of the clothing he might be wearing.

Anyone with information on the baby is asked to call the police Youth and Family Services Division at 202-576-6768.

DC Police suspect foul play in disappearance of 2-month-old Kyon Jones, sources say www.youtube.com