New Jersey community marks 3 years since disappearance of Dulce Maria Alavez
The little girl, then 5 years old, was last seen playing with her younger brother at Bridgeton City Park in Cumberland County.
BRIDGETON, New Jersey (WABC) -- A community in South Jersey is marking three years since the disappearance of Dulce Maria Alavez.
The little girl, then 5 years old, was last seen playing with her younger brother at Bridgeton City Park in Cumberland County on the afternoon on September 16, 2019.
In the years since she vanished, investigators released age-progression photos showing what Dulce may look like.
About one month after she disappeared, authorities released a sketch of a man who remains a person of interest.
The Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office released a statement to reassure the public that the investigation is still active.
"Since we hope to charge and prosecute the person(s) responsible for Dulce's disappearance, we cannot speak about many of the details of our investigation," the statement read. "However, we want to reiterate, that in the absence of evidence of Dulce's demise, investigators hold out hope that she is alive."
On the day of her disappearance, Dulce's mother, Noema Alavez-Perez, let the children run off to play on the swings at the playground.
Alavez-Perez and her younger sister stayed inside her vehicle while the children played.
She would later find her younger son crying, and Dulce was nowhere to be seen.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office through this form at CCPO.TIPS.
"Information may be left anonymously," the prosecutor's office said. "We want the public to know that if they are a witness in this matter, their immigration status will not in any way be used against them."
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