AMBER ALERT NJ - Dulce Mariá Alavez, 5, abducted at Bridgeton City Park, Cumberland County, 16 Sept 2019 #4

[TTF14]

Twelve New CASA Volunteers Set to Speak Up for Abused and Neglected Children, Next Volunteer Training Begins Oct. 9

CASA of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem Counties

Cultural competency is more than overcoming a language barrier; sensitivity to traditions and values builds trust between the CASA volunteer and the child. “Every single Hispanic culture is different, but the method of upbringing with a foundation of family is there (in all cultures),” Yasna said. Despite their differences, with most Hispanic and Latino cultures, there is a commonality of having deep passion for family. “We love to fight, but at the dinner table, we all love each other,” she said laughing. Although the CASA children have come from an abusive home-life, their propensity to reflect their culture is still there, she explained.

As a CASA Volunteer, you try very hard to keep emotion out of your interactions with the children. However, for Hispanic culture, Yasna says, “you need to bring emotion out to form a trust with the child.”

According to Casey Family Programs, Hispanic children are more likely to be placed in foster care and for longer periods than their White, non-Latino peers. Because of this, it is essential that the CASA volunteer and child relationship be based on trust, rapport, and an ability to understand and appreciate the child’s culture and traditions.

A more diverse volunteer base will better match the cultural make-up of the children CASA serves, but a shortage of Hispanic and Latino volunteers makes it difficult to meet the need. Understanding how children feel about their heritage and being able to communicate and relate to their traditions can make the difference between the child feeling alone or appreciated and self-assured.
Representing the Children in Foster Care – Hispanic Heritage Month

Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Jersey

Side note: My retirement goal is to be a CASA volunteer.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Side note: My retirement goal is to be a CASA volunteer.

I U!

 

[TTF14]

I U!

Awwww! It's such a great organization, so very needed. I only wish I had the time before my retirement to do it, but I'm a divorced mom and self-employed right now. It's a goal, though. I so value what they do.

 

[Stunned]

Awwww! It's such a great organization, so very needed. I only wish I had the time before my retirement to do it, but I'm a divorced mom and self-employed right now. It's a goal, though. I so value what they do.

Well hell! I’ve been retired a month and going crazy! What is this?

 

[afitzy]

I agree- I think it’s hugely important to be able to assess what is reliable information about the crime itself and what isn’t. I’ve been a bit unsettled actually ever since watching that interview today- between the red van/no van, and now the brother running to car/not running to car, I feel like details we’re being given through MSM are now unreliable.

The other thing unsettling to me is Noema’s comments about things in her past and people that have issues with her family (paraphrased). And that is in no way victim-blaming. It makes me worried there are in fact people who could wish harm upon her and her family and could have taken Dulce for that reason. And if so, that bit could be important, no?

MOO.

I do wish that LE or someone from the Prosecutors Office had been present today for the press conference to support the situation. Perhaps LE felt that letting Mom speak to the press on her own might have been important.

IDK.

To me, the timeline of the event of Dulce going missing has always been so so important and it seems like each time Mom speaks we see a shift in the timeline.

We know that in cases like these LE is fixated on the timeline and the associated details. So, IMO LE has to be concerned every time some aspect of the story changes.

I'm not sure how a shifting story or more/different details may or may not help find Dulce but the professionals in this case should be managing the process and I'm not sure sure they did Dulce any favours today by not supporting Mom as she faced the press.

Why have we not heard from LE/Prosecutor in a few days? Is this significant or not? We see the news where the bushes are being shaken hard in and around Cumberland County. Is this related to finding Dulce? IDK.

I do know that many of the basic things we do here on WS for missing cases is hard to do in this case and now it seems like that missing event details shifted again today when Mom addressed the Press.

Not sure what to think about the entire situation at all but the idea of a 5 yo girl away from home for such a long period of time simply makes me ill.

MOO

 

[MissMalowe]

She additionally said Dulce was "has nothing to do with the problems we had in the past, or people we have trouble (with) -- why her? Why does she have to pay the consequences? She's just a small girl. She doesn't even know."

So mom at least is leaning towards this being personal; someone "known" to them who they had trouble/problems with in the past?

Consequences for what I wonder?

Mom: I was scratching lottery tix when girl went missing; don't judge us

 

[PunkCake]

Long term lurker.....

I live in Cumberland County in close distance to where the abduction took place. Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton are extremely close and fucntion as one big community basically.

I see a lot of gang comments and I would like to attest that there is NOT a lot of significant gang activity besides on social media. We have a gang task force but I'm mid 20's and been here my entire life and truly haven't seen actual REAL gang activity linked to any of the major gangs. It's a lot of...play pretend here.

I will say, that the races keep a close community in their own. Not in a racial tension way but more or less like everyone knows everyone. When there are "cold cases", they're only cold to the police department. Everyone knows how everyone else moves. If the suspect is from the area, someone knows something.

And the current talk has been that it's a slim chance this was a random abduction. Either the individual was specifically targeting and watching the moves of Dulce specifically for an amount of time, premeditated, or it was an individual with some type of acquaintance with the family.

I've truly never been aware of random abductions ever happening in all my family's years here. Besides the tragic Millville case that happened within the last year.

So yeah. I'm not sure if anyone else is from close quarters like I am on here as I have, admittedly, not scrolled through the dozens of pages.

I'll be following this thread for anyone who has any questions about the geography or simply some boots on the ground insight.

 

[afitzy]

Long term lurker.....

I live in Cumberland County in close distance to where the abduction took place. Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton are extremely close and fucntion as one big community basically.

I see a lot of gang comments and I would like to attest that there is NOT a lot of significant gang activity besides on social media. We have a gang task force but I'm mid 20's and been here my entire life and truly haven't seen actual REAL gang activity linked to any of the major gangs. It's a lot of...play pretend here.

I will say, that the races keep a close community in their own. Not in a racial tension way but more or less like everyone knows everyone. When there are "cold cases", they're only cold to the police department. Everyone knows how everyone else moves. If the suspect is from the area, someone knows something.

And the current talk has been that it's a slim chance this was a random abduction. Either the individual was specifically targeting and watching the moves of Dulce specifically for an amount of time, premeditated, or it was an individual with some type of acquaintance with the family.

I've truly never been aware of random abductions ever happening in all my family's years here. Besides the tragic Millville case that happened within the last year.

So yeah. I'm not sure if anyone else is from close quarters like I am on here as I have, admittedly, not scrolled through the dozens of pages.

I'll be following this thread for anyone who has any questions about the geography or simply some boots on the ground insight.

Hi, @PunkCake glad you are here as having a local on a missing case always makes a huge difference.

I know you say the gang issue isn't as major as what might be seen in say Newark or Atlantic City or Philly etc. But it seems like there are still a lot of local folks that identify with the gangs. Can you see the gangs perhaps being able to get street level info to find out what might have happened to Dulce? Could gang members affiliated with various male members of extended family perhaps have knowledge of what happened to Dulce? Why was BF of Mom picked up by ICE and held supposedly as part of an ongoing investigation?

Others on here have suggested that maybe the church communities or even priests might be able to get info from folks that might be too scared to speak too. Do you think this might work or are people too scared to speak at this point?

I know I keep listening to what Mom has said since this case first started and to see a shift in the missing story has me concerned. I know Mom is much more comfortable speaking Spanish vs English but I'm not sure this is the full issue.

But I honestly IDK so am curious what you think about what you are seeing described as happening at the park.

Do you think Dulce 'ran off' as was said in one of the Press interviews with Mom? Or, was there really some kind of red vehicle at the Park that took Dulce? Why has LE seemed to distance themselves from the red vehicle story? Why no picture of the person allegedly driving the vehicle? Was this person a suspect/person of interest or just someone LE 'wanted to speak with'? LE wasn't with Mom today when she addressed the press. Is LE backing off supporting Mom and/or Family?

Watching this entire situation play out as a missing story of a 5 yo innocent girl is heartbreaking and I'm wondering with your knowledge of the area what might be done to help find her that hasn't yet been done? The local dynamics on this case are different from many of the missing cases here on WS and I feel like we need information that hasn't yet been made available. What might this information be?

MOO

 

[diggndeeperstill]

So mom at least is leaning towards this being personal; someone "known" to them who they had trouble/problems with in the past?

Consequences for what I wonder?

Mom: I was scratching lottery tix when girl went missing; don't judge us

I hope that reporter follows up with her comments to clarify. I’m sure LE has already been on it but they sure are interesting.

 

[Steelslady]

Long term lurker.....

I live in Cumberland County in close distance to where the abduction took place. Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton are extremely close and fucntion as one big community basically.

I see a lot of gang comments and I would like to attest that there is NOT a lot of significant gang activity besides on social media. We have a gang task force but I'm mid 20's and been here my entire life and truly haven't seen actual REAL gang activity linked to any of the major gangs. It's a lot of...play pretend here.

I will say, that the races keep a close community in their own. Not in a racial tension way but more or less like everyone knows everyone. When there are "cold cases", they're only cold to the police department. Everyone knows how everyone else moves. If the suspect is from the area, someone knows something.

And the current talk has been that it's a slim chance this was a random abduction. Either the individual was specifically targeting and watching the moves of Dulce specifically for an amount of time, premeditated, or it was an individual with some type of acquaintance with the family.

I've truly never been aware of random abductions ever happening in all my family's years here. Besides the tragic Millville case that happened within the last year.

So yeah. I'm not sure if anyone else is from close quarters like I am on here as I have, admittedly, not scrolled through the dozens of pages.

I'll be following this thread for anyone who has any questions about the geography or simply some boots on the ground insight.

Thank you so much for your very helpful post. It gives us a better feel for the neighborhood and community.

I've always thought someone was watching and stalking Dulce, but maybe my reasons were wrong- I was thinking of a sick pervert, not as a possible revenge situation. However, things said today have made me swing back and forth between the two- sick pervert or possible revenge for something. What ever the reason, that sweet darling needs to be found, hopefully safe and sound, but I am not hopeful right now that that is the case.

This case has so many twist and turns in it, and as @afitzy mentioned above- every time the mother speaks in front of the press, the time line shifts a bit. Details added or subtracted.

Also, when she said that LE doesn't believe her- usually, a good sign that they don't is when they don't stand next to the parent to support them in front of the media. I remember Maddox Ritch case- the poor Mom was so distraught, she had an advocate next to her when she spoke.

Not saying that this Mom isn't distraught. She's young, she may be scared and confused herself.

 

[Steelslady]

Hi, @PunkCake glad you are here as having a local on a missing case always makes a huge difference.

I know you say the gang issue isn't as major as what might be seen in say Newark or Atlantic City or Philly etc. But it seems like there are still a lot of local folks that identify with the gangs. Can you see the gangs perhaps being able to get street level info to find out what might have happened to Dulce? Could gang members affiliated with various male members of extended family perhaps have knowledge of what happened to Dulce? Why was BF of Mom picked up by ICE and held supposedly as part of an ongoing investigation?

Others on here have suggested that maybe the church communities or even priests might be able to get info from folks that might be too scared to speak too. Do you think this might work or are people too scared to speak at this point?

I know I keep listening to what Mom has said since this case first started and to see a shift in the missing story has me concerned. I know Mom is much more comfortable speaking Spanish vs English but I'm not sure this is the full issue.

But I honestly IDK so am curious what you think about what you are seeing described as happening at the park.

Do you think Dulce 'ran off' as was said in one of the Press interviews with Mom? Or, was there really some kind of red vehicle at the Park that took Dulce? Why has LE seemed to distance themselves from the red vehicle story? Why no picture of the person allegedly driving the vehicle? Was this person a suspect/person of interest or just someone LE 'wanted to speak with'? LE wasn't with Mom today when she addressed the press. Is LE backing off supporting Mom and/or Family?

Watching this entire situation play out as a missing story of a 5 yo innocent girl is heartbreaking and I'm wondering with your knowledge of the area what might be done to help find her that hasn't yet been done? The local dynamics on this case are different from many of the missing cases here on WS and I feel like we need information that hasn't yet been made available. What might this information be?

MOO

Come to think of it- if no picture is available of the suspect from a video, then why not do a police sketch, going by the witnesses who saw this person with a little girl that looked like Dulce in the van?

 

[afitzy]

Thank you so much for your very helpful post. It gives us a better feel for the neighborhood and community.

I've always thought someone was watching and stalking Dulce, but maybe my reasons were wrong- I was thinking of a sick pervert, not as a possible revenge situation. However, things said today have made me swing back and forth between the two- sick pervert or possible revenge for something. What ever the reason, that sweet darling needs to be found, hopefully safe and sound, but I am not hopeful right now that that is the case.

This case has so many twist and turns in it, and as @afitzy mentioned above- every time the mother speaks in front of the press, the time line shifts a bit. Details added or subtracted.

Also, when she said that LE doesn't believe her- usually, a good sign that they don't is when they don't stand next to the parent to support them in front of the media. I remember Maddox Ritch case- the poor Mom was so distraught, she had an advocate next to her when she spoke.

Not saying that this Mom isn't distraught. She's young, she may be scared and confused herself.

Your point about 19 yo Mom being young and scared and most likely confused is most likely correct. We didn't see LE with Mom today when she met with the Press? Why?

Where I am stumbling is that LE has been silent for awhile now and never seemed committed to the red vehicle story. We don't know where the red vehicle story came from (one of the folks on the bball court? IDK) and then we saw the video of LE bringing 3 people to the park who we assumed to be witnesses? Again, we have no clue.

I do think the community has the answers to this case if it chooses to assist LE and the family. LE has put in place all kinds of anon ways for people to reach out to help without putting themselves into the cross hairs of public scrutiny and press involvement. I just continue to think about ways to engage a community that itself seems possibly scared and on edge. But its hard to imagine any community not caring about what happens to a 5 yo. girl no matter what they might think about the extended family etc. But maybe I'm wrong. IDK.

MOO

 

[afitzy]

Come to think of it- if no picture is available of the suspect from a video, then why not do a police sketch, going by the witnesses who saw this person with a little girl that looked like Dulce in the van?

Yes, this is pretty typical but oddly its been asked since this first started and YET we see NOTHING from LE? To me, you just have to ask WHY that is the case. Was the red vehicle and perp description a red herring and not credible? Or, was it credible and so impt that LE is protecting the vehicle description and image and choosing not to release it to the public? IDK but little of what we are seeing from LE here is typical is most missing cases so far as I can tell. MOO

 

[MimosaMornings]

Whose car was her mom using to take the children to the park? Was someone following her? Knew the car?

Was this a park they frequently visited to play? I’m guessing it was since the children ran to the playground and didn’t need mom to show them where to go.

What was the weather like on that day? Was it too hot to sit outside at the benches at the playground area? Or she needed a flat surface to do her scratch offs or her sister wanted to stay in the car.

 

[Lewie]

I’ve always thought the van and suspect description was pieced together from a bunch of witnesses and is likely a hodgepodge of two or more people and their vehicles. If the orange sneaker man indeed had nothing to do with this, he would’ve come forward by now. But then I remember that if he’s undocumented, he’s unlikely to come forward and even if he did so anonymously, clearing him that way is going to be difficult.

 

[afitzy]

Whose car was her mom using to take the children to the park? Was someone following her? Knew the car?

Was this a park they frequently visited to play? I’m guessing it was since the children ran to the playground and didn’t need mom to show them where to go.

What was the weather like on that day? Was it too hot to sit outside at the benches at the playground area? Or she needed a flat surface to do her scratch offs or her sister wanted to stay in the car.

We don't know whose car Mom was driving but it appeared to be a newish model grey car with what appeared to be temp plates.

 

[PunkCake]

Hi, @PunkCake glad you are here as having a local on a missing case always makes a huge difference.

I know you say the gang issue isn't as major as what might be seen in say Newark or Atlantic City or Philly etc. But it seems like there are still a lot of local folks that identify with the gangs. Can you see the gangs perhaps being able to get street level info to find out what might have happened to Dulce? Could gang members affiliated with various male members of extended family perhaps have knowledge of what happened to Dulce? Why was BF of Mom picked up by ICE and held supposedly as part of an ongoing investigation?

Others on here have suggested that maybe the church communities or even priests might be able to get info from folks that might be too scared to speak too. Do you think this might work or are people too scared to speak at this point?

I know I keep listening to what Mom has said since this case first started and to see a shift in the missing story has me concerned. I know Mom is much more comfortable speaking Spanish vs English but I'm not sure this is the full issue.

But I honestly IDK so am curious what you think about what you are seeing described as happening at the park.

Do you think Dulce 'ran off' as was said in one of the Press interviews with Mom? Or, was there really some kind of red vehicle at the Park that took Dulce? Why has LE seemed to distance themselves from the red vehicle story? Why no picture of the person allegedly driving the vehicle? Was this person a suspect/person of interest or just someone LE 'wanted to speak with'? LE wasn't with Mom today when she addressed the press. Is LE backing off supporting Mom and/or Family?

Watching this entire situation play out as a missing story of a 5 yo innocent girl is heartbreaking and I'm wondering with your knowledge of the area what might be done to help find her that hasn't yet been done? The local dynamics on this case are different from many of the missing cases here on WS and I feel like we need information that hasn't yet been made available. What might this information be?

MOO

Whew. A lot but here goes!

The gangs/affiliations we have NEVER bring children into it. Not even in a case of a shooting at someones house where their children were present. If anything, these gangs are more boots on the ground & ears in the streets to HELP. The Mexican community is extremely to themselves. Its a lot of farm land here so we do have a lot of laborers but they truly keep within themselves.

The ICE questioning hasn't really been explained but chatter on social media is saying it was just a questioning stemming from the situation. They are just acting as another agency of LE. To my understanding.

I do not think it is a situation where the "elders" necessarily can put the shake down on the community. Religion is extremely important to all of the Hispanic communities (we have Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans in large quantities, all with their own churches) but I do not think this will have a "confession" type breakthrough.

Social media and personal LO chatter has been extremely critical. The community was furious at how long it took for an actual amber alert to be activated, not understanding the kind of odd way details were coming from the mother.

...We know when something isn't adding up. And going from no description to an entire BOLO hasn't generated any information. Which, well you can take how you want as to not victim blame.

The streets are completely silent, in the sense that nothing has been found supporting her narrative. LE has something close to the belt that has them less concerned with the family making public pleas. After the disaster that was that poor little boy from Millville, they've learned the signs of things just not connecting.

Like I said, everyone knows everyone's moves. There's only about 3 degrees of separation between individuals in this area.

I haven't personally seen any corroboration of a Red Van being spotted in that part of town at all besides what the mom and brother are saying.

I just don't know how to truly convey the closeness of all of us in the area. Which makes it so so difficult to think that all of this happened and literally NO bystander saw anything there or anywhere else.

 

[PunkCake]

Thank you so much for your very helpful post. It gives us a better feel for the neighborhood and community.

I've always thought someone was watching and stalking Dulce, but maybe my reasons were wrong- I was thinking of a sick pervert, not as a possible revenge situation. However, things said today have made me swing back and forth between the two- sick pervert or possible revenge for something. What ever the reason, that sweet darling needs to be found, hopefully safe and sound, but I am not hopeful right now that that is the case.

This case has so many twist and turns in it, and as @afitzy mentioned above- every time the mother speaks in front of the press, the time line shifts a bit. Details added or subtracted.

Also, when she said that LE doesn't believe her- usually, a good sign that they don't is when they don't stand next to the parent to support them in front of the media. I remember Maddox Ritch case- the poor Mom was so distraught, she had an advocate next to her when she spoke.

Not saying that this Mom isn't distraught. She's young, she may be scared and confused herself.

In terms of the "revenge" angle... IMO it'd be a scorned male from SOMEWHERE in the mothers life.

And we have a fair amount of perverts out here. I'm sure you all have checked the sex offender registry in the area to death. But honestly. The crime here is either drug offenses, drug related violence, domestic violence, or TONS of traffic accidents/dui's/etc.

 

[moonlessnight]

“The 3-year-old came back to the car without Dulce and after a brief search of the immediate area, Perez called 911, police said.

"He was crying and when I asked 'where's your sister' -- he just pointed behind the building. That's it because he doesn't speak," Perez said Monday.

She said that after stopping for ice cream at a Sunoco station they drove over to the park, where Dulce and her brother immediately got out and ran over to the playground. She said from the parking lot she could not see the swings because of a hill.

"I was scratching my lottery tickets and my sister got her homework out. But when my sister told me there was no sign of them we went and checked," Perez said.”

I’m confused.....the last sentence doesn’t match with the little boy coming up to the car?

 

[PunkCake]

I am gonna echo what I see a lot.

We don't understand the car situation with the mother. As to why she needed to stay in the car. Homework/scratch offs/whatever makes very little sense because there is seating at every single park in the area. Almost to the point of most of them being able to accommodate parties/festivals.