The 5-year-old girl who disappeared from a playground in New Jersey may still be alive, the FBI says.
Dulce Alavez, who was abducted from a playground as her mother sat in a car less than 100 feet away, was last seen in Bridgeton City Park with her 3-year-old brother on September 16, 2019.
FBI special agent Daniel Garrabrant said to NJ Advance Media: “If you are looking for a child to take the child, you go where children are.
“That’s one of the reasons that we believe that the target was a child, but it may not necessarily have been Dulce.”
The children’s mother, Noema Alavez Perez, reportedly sat in her car parked less than 100 feet away from the playground to help her 8-year-old sister with homework.
Garrabrant said the abductor thought it was a great ‘opportunity’ for him to take the child as the mother was not present.
“The person’s intent might not have been to take a kid,” Garrabrant said. “It could have been maybe to watch children because that’s what they liked, and the opportunity presented itself and they did what they did.”
But over 11 months later, Dulce hasn’t been found.
The investigation is working under the assumption that the girl is still alive as there was no evidence that suggests she has died.
Garrabrant said Dulce’s family continue to be ‘cooperative and engaged.’ He also appealed to possible witnesses or anyone who may know the identity of the suspect to speak up.
The FBI agent said the culprit may have missed family functions or work around the time of the girl’s kidnapping, altered his appearance, repainted his car, or exhibited unusual behavior.
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