MISSING: Dulce María Alavez
When 5-year-old Dulce María Alavez vanishes from a playground in New Jersey, the whole community pitches in to help search for her. But thousands of leads later – and nearly three years after her mysterious disappearance – law enforcement still isn’t sure where she is…or who took her.
We’re releasing this episode in English and Spanish in hopes that the Spanish version could help this information reach the right person. Hosted by Melanie and Emmanuel, the Spanish version of this episode is available in your feeds right now!
For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode.
Dulce and her mother, Noema Alavez Perez
Photo source: Noema Alavez Perez
Surveillance footage from a Sunoco gas station shows Dulce, wearing a yellow shirt, black and white pants and white shoes, on Monday, September 16th, 2019, the day she went missing from Bridgeton City Park in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
Surveillance footage from a Sunoco gas station shows Dulce, wearing a yellow shirt, black and white pants and white shoes, on Monday, September 16th, 2019, the day she went missing from Bridgeton City Park in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
Composite sketch of a man who was reportedly in the Bridgeton City Park around the time Dulce went missing on September 16th, 2019, just before 5 p.m.
Age-progression photo of what Dulce might look like at age 9, released in September 2023.
Age progression of what Dulce may look like at age nine. The imae looks like a school photo with a mottled gray backdrop. Her dark hair is long and she is wearing a purple headband that matches her purple shirt.
Age-progression photo of what Dulce might look like at age 7, released in September 2021
Photo source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Dulce disappeared from Bridgeton City Park in Bridgeton, NJ on September 16th, 2019
Photo source: Google Earth; Edited by audiochuck staff
In Bridgeton City Park, facing storage buildings from basketball courts
Photo source: Courtesy, Brenda Trinidad; Enhanced for clarity by audiochuck staff
In Bridgeton City Park, facing the playground from basketball courts
Photo source: Courtesy, Brenda Trinidad; Enhanced for clarity by audiochuck staff
In Bridgeton City Park, facing the playground from Dulce’s mom’s parking spot
Photo source: Courtesy, Brenda Trinidad; Enhanced for clarity by audiochuck staff
Please contact the authorities If you have any information about the following:
If you have information about Dulce, please contact the Bridgeton Police at 856-451-0033 or Submit a tip to the FBI. If you wish to submit an anonymous tip you can do so here: bpdops.com/tips
To donate to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, visit audiochuck.missingkids.org. To learn more about NCMEC, visit missingkids.org.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- 911 Call, obtained by NJ.com
- NJ Advance Media, Police searching for 5-year-old girl who went missing Monday night in Bridgeton park, by Matt Gray
- The Daily Journal, Police: Missing 5-year-old was last seen in Bridgeton City Park area, by Sheri Berkery and Joseph P. Smith
- The Daily Journal, Amber Alert issued for missing Bridgeton girl; man led her into red van, police say, by Joseph P. Smith
- NJ Advance Media, N.J. Amber Alert Update: Mom pleads for abducted 5-year-old girl’s safe return as search resumes, by Matt Gray
- The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mother of 5-year-old South Jersey girl apparently abducted in Bridgeton park grieves and waits, by Alfred Lubrano, Joseph A. Gambardello, and Jeff Gammage
- 6ABC Action News, Action News has obtained video showing the last known images of 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez
- The Daily Journal, Dulce search: New Jersey State Police again scour area 5-year-old went missing, by Joseph P. Smith
- The Daily Journal, Vineland teacher under review over Facebook comment connected to Dulce Alavez case, by Deborah M. Marko
- NBC10, Dulce María Alavez’s Father Has Talked with FBI in Mexico as Little Girl Now on ‘Most Wanted’ List, by Cydney Long and Brian X. McCrone
- CBS Philly, Mother Of Missing 5-Year-Old Dulce Maria Alavez Speaks Out
- The New York Times, A 5-Year-Old Girl Went Missing From a Playground. What Happened?, by Christina Goldbaum
- NJ Advance Media, Mom’s 911 call shows early confusion about 2 men seen near missing 5-year-old Dulce Alavez, by Matt Gray
- NBC10, More Than 1K Tips and 500 Probes Later, New Jersey 5-Year-Old Remains Missing
- CNN, Investigators ‘remain hopeful’ that missing New Jersey girl is still alive, prosecutor says, by Amir Vera
- NJ Advance Media, This N.J. girl vanished without a trace. Two months later, cops say they haven’t given up hope, by Matt Gray
- Dr. Phil, Why Woman Says She Suspects Mom Of Missing 5-Year-Old Knows More About Disappearance Than She’s Saying
- Dr. Phil, ‘I Didn’t Want To Believe That Somebody Had Took Her,’ Mom Says Of Realizing Daughter Was Missing
- Dr. Phil, Mom Of Missing New Jersey Little Girl Admits She Was Scratching Lottery Ticket When Daughter Vanished
- New Jersey 101.5, Psychic who says missing girl was raped, killed and buried behind school, by Dan Alexander
- NJ Advance Media, We investigated psychic tips, but are focusing on facts in search for 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, police chief says, by Matt Gray
- NJ Advance Media, Another cryptic letter about missing 5-year-old Dulce Alavez received in N.J. by family spokeswoman, by Matt Gray
- Philadelphia Magazine, Land of hopes and dreams, by Robert Huber
- NJ Advance Media, Missing Bridgeton girl Dulce Alavez likely abducted in crime of opportunity, FBI agent says, by Matt Gray
- Where is Dulce Maria Alavez? By reporter Claudia Rivero, ClaudioRiverotv.com
- NJ Advance Media, The girl who vanished: The mystery of Dulce Maria Alavez’s disappearance still haunts Bridgeton a year later, by Alex Napoliello and Rodrigo Torrejon
- 6ABC Action News, Mother of Dulce Maria Alavez expresses regret, defies critics one year after child vanished, by George Solis and Brandon Longo
- NJ Advance Media, Cops hope to speak with missing N.J. child’s dad after he posts birthday video online, by Matt Gray
- Statement Analysis Blog, 911 Call: 5 Year Old Dulce Maria Alavez Missing
- State of New Jersey Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive NO. 2018-6 v2.0
- Bridgeton Police Department missing juvenile news release, 9-17-2019
- Bridgeton Police Department Amber alert news release, 9-17-2019
- Bridgeton Police Department media briefing, 10-4-2019
- Bridgeton Police Department reward increase news release, 10-9-2019
- Bridgeton Police Department composite sketch news release, 10-15-2019
- Bridgeton Police Department statement on investigation, 2-4-2020
- City of Bridgeton website
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
- Amber alert activation criteria
- Model Policy for the Evaluation of Examinee Suitability for Polygraph Testing
- Polygraph Examination of Pregnant Women: Dilemmas and Recommendations
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