The younger brother of the little girl who went missing in a New Jersey park last week reportedly told his mother that he saw a man “waving” toward 5-year-old Dulce Alavez before she vanished on September 16.
CrimeOnline’s own Nancy Grace weighed in on the latest development in Dulce’s mysterious disappearance.
“If in fact little Dulce’s kidnapper waves at her, did she know him? Did she know him from previous grooming? Or was waving at her simply a ploy to lure Dulce to his red mini van to force her inside?,” Nancy said.
An eyewitness or multiple eyewitnesses told authorities last week they had seen a light-skinned Hispanic male of slight build pull Dulce into a red van with tinted windows. Authorities issued an AMBER Alert on Tuesday and continue to seek the man and the vehicle, though the Cumberland County Prosecutor said in press conferences later last week that authorities only wanted to speak to the man; and the Bridgeton police chief said that investigators did not have any clear suspects.
Dulce’s brother, who is only 3 years old, is believed to have been the last to see Dulce before she was possibly abducted from Bridgeton City Park on Monday. The siblings, their mother, and another juvenile female relative had purchased ice cream at a Sunoco convenience store on Monday afternoon before going to the park. The family was captured on surveillance video there as Dulce and her brother chose ice cream treats from a standing freezer.
As NJ.com reports, Alavez Perez previously told the media that her son said someone knocked the ice cream out of his hand. According to NBC10, an extensive search of the park and surrounding area yielded no sign of Dulce, including her ice cream cup or spoon.
According to the same report, the FBI has now added Dulce’s case to its list of “Most Wanted” for kidnapping victims, in an effort to generate tips from beyond the immediate area.
NJ.com and NBC10 report that authorities have confirmed the FBI has been in touch with Dulce’s father in Mexico, as Dulce’s mother has also told reporters.
Alavez Perez identified the father as Edgar Perez; a name that has not been confirmed by authorities. She told NBC10 that she and Dulce’s father did not have a relationship and that he initially doubted the girl was his child. She said he changed his position after seeing Dulce and noticing a physical resemblance, and told the news outlet that he recently stated his intentions to gain custody of the 5-year-old girl.
Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-Mcrae told CrimeOnline on Monday that she was optimistic Dulce is still alive, but would not comment on the circumstances of any communication between authorities and Dulce’s father.
Authorities are offering a $35,000 reward for information that leads to the missing girl.
Anyone with information about Dulce’s disappearance is urged to contact the State Police Missing Persons Unit at 609-882-2000, ext. 2554 or the Bridgeton police at 856-451-0033. You can also text anonymously to TIP411.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
