NJ NJ - Dulce Mariá Alavez, 5, abducted @ Bridgeton City Park, Cumberland Co, 16 Sep 2019 #7

[283]

Good point. He is probably similarly fluent as Noema, and perhaps less hesitant or seemingly shy in front of a camera or crowd. With grandmother Norma mostly silent due to her limited English, and Noema so soft-spoken, a stronger voice would certainly help if he is able to provide it. Someone who can be outspoken needs to advocate passionately for this child to keep her story high in the public's awareness.

Don't they also have an older sister?

Noema”s sister Nayiber spoke in this clip
from

 

[283]

Good point. He is probably similarly fluent as Noema, and perhaps less hesitant or seemingly shy in front of a camera or crowd. With grandmother Norma mostly silent due to her limited English, and Noema so soft-spoken, a stronger voice would certainly help if he is able to provide it. Someone who can be outspoken needs to advocate passionately for this child to keep her story high in the public's awareness.

Don't they also have an older sister?

Noema”s sister Nayiber spoke in this clip
from first week but haven’t heard from her since
Family Says Social Media Accusations They Are Involved In Abduction Of 5-Year-Old Dulce Maria Alavez Are Untrue

in the video(around the 23:00 mark) from the second vigil a male speaks in Spanish (the translator is there but does not translate) I’m not sure if it is her brother, boyfriend, father or just a volunteer ?

 

[WildOrchid]

Do we know if Noema’s brother is over 18? If not, that may explain his absence from the camera.

 

[demetra]

This has the uncle of Dulce talking, it is mentioned in the video he is younger than Noema..moo

 

[MimosaMornings]

Thank you, thought somewhere I read she had an older brother who lived in the neighborhood. It’s hard to keep the facts straight.

 

[WildOrchid]

Wow I had not viewed that video before. I definitely sense Noema’s brother is not as passive as Noema and Norma. But the way he averts his face is still indicative of fear to me unless it’s to hide his emotions. IMO

 

[WildOrchid]

I found this article while looking for something else. I don’t recall seeing everything summarized in one page this way before. Some of the details have since been updated as we know (little brother didn’t come back to the car etc) but still a nice refresher.
Father Contacted In Amber Alert Search For Missing NJ Girl

 

[MimosaMornings]

Wonder if they ever talked to the father face to face?

 

[WildOrchid]

I remember reading that they were attempting to but I don’t remember hearing a follow up.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Almost four months since her disappearance, everyone still wants answers. A little girl went missing with barely a trace and still hasn't been recovered. Close to 1,200 signatures were collected to petition the city of Bridgeton to install security cameras in the park where Dulce disappeared.

According to NJ.com, Jackie Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the little girl's family, said that equipment for the municipality is stored in that park, so it's absurd to her that cameras aren't in place already.

The mayor has attempted to assure everybody that every effort is still and will continue to be made to bring Dulce home safe.
New Petition Asks for Cameras in Park Where Dulce Went Missing

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“There was a little girl taken from that park,” Jackie Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for Dulce’s family, told NJ Advance Media last week. “Not only was she taken from there, but their city equipment is also stored in the building at the park. You mean to tell me they still do not have cameras put up? Everybody knows that it’s a park with no cameras. What makes you think that this would not happen again?”

Rodriguez said the first petition drive to add cameras to the park garnered more than 1,000 signatures. She also started a Change.org petition that had gathered another 622 signatures as of Tuesday night.

After organizing and conducting another search for Dulce on Sunday, Rodriguez and others marched to the city hall building on East Commerce Street Monday to express their frustration with the efforts being taken by the city.

While giving an update to the Bridgeton City Council Tuesday, Mayor Albert Kelly said he met with the protestors on the steps of city hall. Kelly said that while people may think they are not doing enough, the city was doing everything in its power to find Dulce.

“Our police department and the Prosecutor’s Office have been doing everything that they can do to help find this young lady,” Kelly said.

The mayor said he also would be meeting with the clergy on Thursday to ask them to help work with the city to get the information out. However, he would not comment about the request for security cameras.

Bridgeton Police Chief Michael A. Gaimari Sr. also delivered an update to the Bridgeton City Council Tuesday evening about the efforts in the search for Dulce. Gaimari told the four council members in attendance that contrary to social media posts, the department has been keeping Dulce’s family updated on the search two to three times a week.

“We are still optimistic that the child is alive and will remain that way, but I would say that we have made significant progress in the past four to five weeks on the matter,” Gaimari told the council.

Law enforcement agencies continue to meet daily at an off-site location, he said. Their work has resulted in combing through 5,000 leads on Dulce’s whereabouts.

Registered sex offenders in Cumberland County, as well as specific offenders in neighboring counties, were also interviewed.

Police are also analyzing cellphone data and video gathered from the area, and law enforcement has conducted at least 17 searches of certain areas based on information received from the public. In those searches, a combined 19 K-9′s have been used to try to find more clues. Gaimari said that, contrary to what has been alleged, the department has not turned down search parties from private organizations to come in and help.

“We utilize vetted law enforcement or organizations that have been vetted through law enforcement whose searching members have passed the criminal background check to accomplish that,” the police chief said. “That has been told to the search groups, and they understand that. We have never prohibited groups from coming down and conducting their own searches. We made contact with them that if they ever do discover anything of interest, the phone numbers to call and contacts to be made, and the procedure to follow if anything that they feel of evidentiary value is discovered. But we can’t take part in searches with people that we have not vetted.”
Park where 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez needs security cameras, petition demands

 

[WildOrchid]

So somewhere between the end of November and now, “significant progress” has been made.

 

[WildOrchid]

Why does the family insist they aren’t being updated and yet the police state they are being updated 3-4 times a week?! Either someone is being misleading or the family isn’t understanding that an update of “we have no new info” is still an update. I didn’t think it was possible that this case could get murkier.

“There was a little girl taken from that park,” Jackie Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for Dulce’s family, told NJ Advance Media last week. “Not only was she taken from there, but their city equipment is also stored in the building at the park. You mean to tell me they still do not have cameras put up? Everybody knows that it’s a park with no cameras. What makes you think that this would not happen again?”

Rodriguez said the first petition drive to add cameras

While giving an update to the Bridgeton City Council Tuesday, Mayor Albert Kelly said he met with the protestors on the steps of city hall. Kelly said that while people may think they are not doing enough, the city was doing everything in its power to find Dulce.

“Our police department and the Prosecutor’s Office have been doing everything that they can do to help find this young lady,” Kelly said.


Bridgeton Police Chief Michael A. Gaimari Sr. also delivered an update to the Bridgeton City Council Tuesday evening about the efforts in the search for Dulce. Gaimari told the four council members in attendance that contrary to social media posts, the department has been keeping Dulce’s family updated on the search two to three times a week.


Park where 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez needs security cameras, petition demands

 

[imstilla.grandma]

To family and close friends, interest from the community in the case of the missing girl has waned in the near four months since she disappeared from a playground at Bridgeton City Park.

Dulce's support group also wants more help from Bridgeton officials, and on Monday they marched from City Park to the steps of City Hall where Mayor Albert Kelly stood outside awaiting their arrival.

Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly speaks with family and friends of missing 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez outside City Hall on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. (Photo: Adam Monacelli)

Kelly told The Daily Journal he could see the group through a window in City Hall making their way to the building from City Park.

"I want everybody to realize and know that the police, the (Cumberland County) prosecutor, the state police and the federal government are still working on this case every day," Kelly said. "It's not going to be swept under the rug."

"So Dulce will never be forgotten until we find her," Kelly said.

The mother of missing 5-year-old Dulce Alavez, Noema Alavez Perez, holds a photo of her daughter at Bridgeton City Hall on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. (Photo: Adam Monacelli)

Kelly reiterated that authorities will not call into question a person's immigration status if they step forward with information, something authorities have made clear since the girl's disappearance.

"I thought more of the Hispanic community would come together but it doesn't seem that way," Rodriguez said. "I feel like everybody is so quiet, like people are afraid to speak and I don't know why. It's just weird. There's so many weird things."

The mayor granted permission to Dulce's support group to hang a large banner with information about the girl and her disappearance at the site where she went missing.

Perez, who shared a hug with Kelly at City Hall, also found value in the exchange.

"It is very nice knowing he will help us," she said.

Dulce's mother, Noema Alavez Perez, was on hand for Monday's march.

The group of about a dozen, mostly family members, gathered at the site where Dulce disappeared on Sept. 16. Perez said she was parked in her car nearby with another relative scratching a lottery ticket when her daughter went missing.

Perez admitted it is not easy returning to the park.

"I just remember the day that happened and I don't even want to come back here no more," Perez said. "I just come here when the events happen."
Bridgeton mayor: Dulce Maria Alavez's disappearance won't be 'swept under the rug'

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[MimosaMornings]

Do we know what areas have been searched? Noema stated in the video above - (Thanks @imstilla.grandma!) they are still searching for her, was wondering what areas they have covered or planning to search?

“Perez admitted it is not easy returning to the park.

"I just remember the day that happened and I don't even want to come back here no more," Perez said. "I just come here when the events happen."

 

[imstilla.grandma]

A group of 12 volunteers search for trails in a wooded area a quarter of a mile from Bridgeton City Park where 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez was last seen on Sept. 16, 2019

“I want for people to keep helping us, sharing her photo so people know that she’s still missing,” said Dulce’s mother, Noema Alavez Perez.

The reservations brought on by fears of deportation, paired with the passage of time, have made it seem like Bridgeton has forgotten about Dulce, supporters of the family said.

“All the people who came for the first vigil, where are they now?” said Stacey Filoon, who said she has made regular trips from Philadelphia to look for Dulce in her hometown.

Filoon and a group of “core volunteers,” as they call themselves, say Bridgeton residents make a small portion of the search parties.

A group of 12 volunteers used walking sticks to move damp leaves and brush from a desolate road that stretches into a wooded area a quarter of a mile from Bridgeton City Park where Dulce was last seen.

Anna Donnelly is a former Bridgeton resident who now lives in Vineland. Like Filoon, she laments what seems to her like a lack of community support, but she is not necessarily surprised.

“They don’t trust the Bridgeton Police, they don’t trust the state troopers, they don’t trust FBI,” Donnelly said.

Marcelino D., who didn’t want to use his last name because he is in the country illegally, felt the criticisms were harsh.

It’s complicated, he said.

“I went out to one of the early searches and a vigil.” He’s also continued to share the Facebook posts with Dulce’s photo.

The searches he went to had some support from Bridgeton residents, he said.

“Of course, it’s not 100% of Bridgeton, but I’ve seen people from Bridgeton — at least, people that I know who help or who want to be present,” he said.

Still, concerns about deportation could be enough to keep many away, D. said.

Abelina Cardoza was also taken aback by claims of a lack of community support.

“We have done what’s possible by sharing [Dulce’s photo] on social networks,” she said as she corralled her two children and groceries in her sedan. “We don’t know what else to do. The police keep searching for her … We can’t do anything else.”

When interviewed, Rodriguez told Phil McGraw, host of the show, that some members of Dulce’s family were under the impression that Alavez Perez knew more about the abduction than she was letting on.

“I feel like she knows that child is OK,” Rodriguez said on the show. “She’s missing her, but she’s not freaking out. She knows she’s OK,” Rodriguez said on the show.

During the search Sunday, Rodriguez said she wasn’t “backstabbing or trying to throw [Alavez Perez] under the bus” with her comments.

“I think everybody just went crazy after that show,” Rodriguez said. “Everybody was like, ‘Oh, you know, she has something to do with it, she has something to do with it.’ The people that didn’t think she had something to do with it, now think that she knows and had something to do with it.”

Still, Rodriguez said Alavez Perez didn’t walk back her comments. She only added that Dulce’s mother could be withholding information to protect Dulce.

In an email, Gaimari said investigators and victim witness personnel from the prosecutor’s office continue to make contact with the family every week.

“The investigation is proceeding daily with our department, the prosecutor’s office, state police and the FBI,” he wrote.
Family of missing girl Dulce Alavez rallies for more support in Bridgeton

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari told Fox29 that law enforcement has made "significant progress" and that the FBI, state and local officials are actively investigating on a daily basis.

"I just want to assure everybody that it's still a top priority for law enforcement," he said.

Gaimari told Fox29 that "everybody is still in play" and that law enforcement has interviewed close to 1,000 people.

"Some people we bring in for second interviews," he said. "Some people we further investigate, and we've continued to do that."

Investigators continue to search wooded areas, waterways and vacant buildings in the Bridgeton area, she said. They've also checked on the status of sex offenders in South Jersey to see if they have any possible connections to the case.

Billboards are now appearing on highways asking people to call police if they have any sign or any information that could lead to Dulce's discovery.

Webb-McRae said her office has "not given up and remains hopeful that we will determine the circumstances that led to Dulce's disappearance."

"We ask the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious information," she said. "We are still looking for that one piece of information that cracks this case. We need the public's help to do so."
'Progress' In Amber Alert Probe For Missing 5-Year-Old NJ Girl

 

[WildOrchid]

Welcome to the JR show! Sorry but that’s what it seems like she’s trying to do. She “wasn’t trying to throw Noema under the bus”? What exactly did JR think would be the response to her DP show comments/insinuations? She’s now seemingly astonished that people are pointing fingers in a renewed fashion? Wow. Please JR, take a bow, accept your 15 minutes of fame and get on a one way bus away from this case. This should be 100% about an adorable missing 5 year old little girl.

 

[janewall]

View attachment 224850

(snipped for focus) Anna Donnelly is a former Bridgeton resident who now lives in Vineland. Like Filoon, she laments what seems to her like a lack of community support, but she is not necessarily surprised.

“They don’t trust the Bridgeton Police, they don’t trust the state troopers, they don’t trust FBI,” Donnelly said.

Marcelino D., who didn’t want to use his last name because he is in the country illegally, felt the criticisms were harsh.

It’s complicated, he said.

“I went out to one of the early searches and a vigil.” He’s also continued to share the Facebook posts with Dulce’s photo.

The searches he went to had some support from Bridgeton residents, he said.

“Of course, it’s not 100% of Bridgeton, but I’ve seen people from Bridgeton — at least, people that I know who help or who want to be present,” he said.

Still, concerns about deportation could be enough to keep many away, D. said.

Abelina Cardoza was also taken aback by claims of a lack of community support.

“We have done what’s possible by sharing [Dulce’s photo] on social networks,” she said as she corralled her two children and groceries in her sedan. “We don’t know what else to do. The police keep searching for her … We can’t do anything else.”

When interviewed, Rodriguez told Phil McGraw, host of the show, that some members of Dulce’s family were under the impression that Alavez Perez knew more about the abduction than she was letting on.

“I feel like she knows that child is OK,” Rodriguez said on the show. “She’s missing her, but she’s not freaking out. She knows she’s OK,” Rodriguez said on the show.

During the search Sunday, Rodriguez said she wasn’t “backstabbing or trying to throw [Alavez Perez] under the bus” with her comments.

“I think everybody just went crazy after that show,” Rodriguez said. “Everybody was like, ‘Oh, you know, she has something to do with it, she has something to do with it.’ The people that didn’t think she had something to do with it, now think that she knows and had something to do with it.”

Still, Rodriguez said Alavez Perez didn’t walk back her comments. She only added that Dulce’s mother could be withholding information to protect Dulce.

In an email, Gaimari said investigators and victim witness personnel from the prosecutor’s office continue to make contact with the family every week.

“The investigation is proceeding daily with our department, the prosecutor’s office, state police and the FBI,” he wrote.
Family of missing girl Dulce Alavez rallies for more support in Bridgeton

Lots of good info in this article. I found 3 major take-aways.

1) It's interesting that both Hispanic and non-Hispanic locals mention prevalent distrust in the community of LE. I don't know what can be done about this within Bridgeton, but it's a clear illustration of the difficulty in putting toothpaste back in the tube. Once that level of distrust exists toward LE, you can't fix it with a few verbal reassurances and press conferences. It takes a lot of consistently positive engagement, and time for the positive interactions to be recognized as the norm. Especially when multiple agencies are involved. Trust is a fragile thing and once it's broken it's not going to be a quick fix, even if people know they may have to rely on the distrusted party some day.

2) Also of note: the public simply doesn't know what they can do to help. The quote from Abelina Cardoza is telling – she doesn't think posting on social media is necessarily enough, but she doesn't know what else she can do. I think this feeling of not knowing how to take effective action in the wake of an outrageous crime is common, and some guidelines for civilians who want to aid police could be helpful. When police do public outreach it usually on precautions to take against becoming crime victims, which is all well and good. But when a suspected crime with a still-endangered victim has occurred already, ordinary people often want to know how they can assist with rescue or advocacy, without getting in the way of LE investigators and professional efforts. It's not that they want to play at being cops, but some people really do want to be useful to both a stressed police force and a person or family in crisis – without winging it and making more of a mess of things.

Yet we rarely see any official guidance on that, are rarely told (for example) to come in and get vetted in advance of a situation, or educated about procedures and protocols so we can assist effectively from the outset. So we fall back to marches and vigils and social media blasts, but those feel more symbolic than practical IMO, especially in the case of a child who vanished almost four months ago. Perhaps a list of effective tactics for non-LE 'concerned citizens' could be developed, to be posted in public buildings and grounds, schools, etc, so that from a young age children are exposed to this idea of a community partnership with LE.

3) Finally, Jackie Rodriguez seems utterly oblivious to the fact that her comments on Dr. Phil did far more damage than Noema's affect or words. I wish Noema could show a little of Jackie's passion and directness, that she could express herself in a way that draws attention, which seems to be Jackie's main talent. Then the family could break with Jackie, who is less a reliable advocate/spokesperson than a bomb-throwing, foot-shooting loose cannon.