Two years later. Where is Dulce Alavez?
It has been exactly two years since Dulce Alavez was last seen and reported missing.
On Sept. 16, 2019, the then-five-year old Alavez went missing while playing at a park with her younger brother in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
To mark the second anniversary of that day, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has released an age-progression photo of what the now 7-year-old Alavez may look like today.
Dulce Alavez went missing 2 years ago today from N.J. park. This is how she may look now at age 7. https://t.co/MYAgV921kf pic.twitter.com/YdsKlgxc5u
— njdotcom (@njdotcom) September 15, 2021
"We feel that represents the best picture that could go out there and based on what she may look like now," Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari said in a statement.
The belief is that Alavez was abducted. With a number of witnesses present the day it happened, investigators believe they've been able to pinpoint a description of the same suspect — a man about 5 feet 8 inches tall between 30 and 35 years old with acne.
They also believe she was abducted by a stranger in what is called "a crime of opportunity." Despite her name being plastered over billboards and news stations across the region, the potential suspect has yet to be identified and located.
As the search continues for the little girl, authorities are hopeful the newly-released photo could help provide leads toward her eventually being found.
“We hold out hope that Dulce is alive [as we have no evidence of her demise] and want the public to know that this case will remain open until such time as we locate Dulce and determine those responsible for her disappearance,” Gaimari and Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a joint statement.
Throughout the past 24 months, Bridgeton police and surrounding area investigators and detectives have launched efforts and initiatives to not only help find Alavez, but also create a bridge between the community and law enforcement.
"I know police are not going to give up on my daughter. I want people to not give up on my daughter, and I appreciate what everyone is doing for my daughter," Noema Alavez Perez, Dulce’s mother, told Action News.
The reward for information that leads to her being found, as well as an arrest, currently stands at $75,000.
Anyone with information pertaining to this case is encouraged to call the Bridgeton Police Department at 856-451-0033.
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.
Another option is to submit an anonymous tip to the agency online.
Spanish speakers can call 856-207-2732.
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