Pictured: Suspect in kidnapping of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena in New York
3 October 2023, 16:36
The image of the 47-year-old suspect has been released as he is now charged with kidnapping 9-year-old Charlotte Sena.
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Craig Nelson Ross Jr has been held without bail since Tuesday morning at the Saratoga County Correctional Facility on a charge of first-degree kidnapping.
Following his arrest, Ross was questioned at the New York State Police barracks in Latham, New York, and then brought before Milton Town Court. Details of the suspect's interrogation were not released.
He was found after footage caught him driving up to the Sena family residence to post a ransom note in their mailbox on Monday morning at around 4:20 am Eastern Standard Time (EST).
After examining the fingerprint left on the note, police were able to identify the suspect as 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr on Monday afternoon at 2:30 pm EST.
Read more: Police hunt for Charlotte Sena, 9, believed to be abducted from New York campsite
The fingerprint matched with a drink driving ticket from 1999 in Saratoga, a county in the state of New York.
Read more: How was missing US nine-year-old Charlotte Sena found?
From there, investigators were able to determine that Ross was living in a camper behind his mother’s residence and used two SWAT teams to enter the premises
After entering, Charlotte was found hidden in a cabinet in the suspect’s camper, located behind his mother’s house.
"She knew she was being rescued", New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.
"She knew she was in safe hands."
The nine-year-old was still taken to a hospital for checks.
Charlotte and her family were camping in Moreau Lake State Park before she went missing on a bike ride.
She was last seen at around 6:15 pm on Saturday riding one more loop by herself, after cycling with friends.
Her mother reported her missing half an hour later, and her bike was found in the loop without her, according to Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone of the New York Police.
Authorities said she may have been abducted, and police feared she was in "imminent danger of serious harm and/or death."
After she was found, Governor Hochul said: "We are overjoyed at the news that Charlotte Sena has been located safely this evening after an intense days-long search.
"Our hearts are with her family as they welcome her home.
"Thank you to the New York State Police, New York Park Police, and all who worked so tirelessly to find Charlotte."
