One of the top fears for parents is kidnapping. The “not knowing” is what keeps many parents up at night wondering if their child is safe. Parents will run many scenarios in their head on what they could have done differently to prevent such a horrible situation from happening. Sadly this is the case for Dulce Maria Alavez’s Mother 19-years-old at the time, Noema Alavez Perez. Dulce Maria Alavez is a 5-year-old little girl that has been missing since 2019. 

What happened to little Dulce?

September 16th, 2019 started as a normal day in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Little Dulce was spending time with her little brother (3-years-old at the time), Mother Noema and her aunt (Noema’s younger sister.) One of the last known clips was a 53 second video at the Sunoco Convenience Store which shows Dulce, her brother, Noema 8-year-old little sister and mother getting ice cream. 

After they had gotten their ice cream they were to head to the Bridgeton City Park in Cucumberland County for the children to play. According to records provided by the authorities in South Jersey reported that Dulce allowed her children to run off to play on the swings in the park. Noema and her younger sister stayed in the vehicle. There are reports that the mother was scratching lottery tickets. About 10 minutes later Noema son reportedly went to the car crying and reported his sister was missing. Noema had asked where his sister went, the little boy had pointed to some nearby buildings implying that his sister had went that way. Noema went to look for her in the direction that her son pointed to. She had assumed at first that Dulce was playing hide and seek. This unfortunately was not the case. 

Last person to see her Alive:

Dulce 3-year-old brother was most likey the last person to see her alive. The little boy had told the police that he had seen a man waving his hand and signalling Dulce to come over to him. This is what the man was described as looking like.

Without proof that there was a kidnapping authorities did not send out a Amber Alert for more than 24 hours. The day after the disappearance, an Amber Alert was issued for a man in a red pick up truck. However; without cameras in the park, the police were unable to corroborate witness statements. This sketch was done roughly a month after Dulce’s disappearance. 

4 years later?

In 2023, the search has not stopped. The Bridgeton Police Department, the Cumberland County’s Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to meet to discuss leads and strategize on the ongoing investigation.

Till this day, no arrests has been been made on the disappearance of Dulce Maria Alavez. Authorities have released a “age progression” photo of what Dulce might look like today. 

If there any tips that could be found that leads to finding little Dulce, there are many ways to do so. Tips can be sent anonymously to the Cucumberland County Prosecutor’s Office by visiting www.ccpo.tips or via the Bridgeton Police Department at www.bpd.tips as well. Information can also be relayed by calling the Bridgeton Police Department at P: 856-451-0033. You can also reach your local FBI Field Office at P: 1-800-225-5324. There is currently a 75,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Dulce. 

As a Mom:

One could only fathom the pain a parent goes through when it comes to having a missing child. Yes people are saying the mother had something to do with her daughter’s disappearance and others are saying she is grieving in her own way. Whatever the case is, this child is still missing. She will continue to be missing until she is found, dead or alive. It sounds brutal, but this is the case. Our hearts are heavy for those who loved her dearly. Let’s not forget the little brother who most likely saw her last. The grief that this little boy may carry knowing that he was most likely the last to see her. Growing up and carrying that with him. I just hope the mother is able to get him into some type of treatment to help him process what he has been through. 

Conclusion:

As parents, we need to be keep a close eye on our children. Always watch our surroundings. We may feel like no one is watching, but you just never know who is. Little Dulce is missing and who knows if she will ever be found. Our hearts are heavy as tomorrow marks 4 years exactly to the date she went missing on September 16, 2019. 

Disclaimer: We do not own the rights of the pictures listed in this post. This is only for educational purposes and spreading awareness.

Question:

Moms, what are your thoughts on this case?