2023-10-01 20:48:45
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul provided an update on the search for Charlotte Sena in Saratoga County.
VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
AUDIO of the Governor’s remarks is available here.
PHOTOS of the event are available on the Governor’s Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Good followingnoon. I’m joined today by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone and Troop G Commander, Major Dennis Schager. We also have representation from law enforcement, including the FBI. On a picture-perfect fall day here in Upstate New York, Charlotte Sena’s family and friends gathered for a weekend of friendship and food and enjoying one of the last few days of good weather.
They came here to just have an ordinary time. The kids might have a chance to be in nature, have a chance to be kids. And they came to this beautiful scenic state park, Moreau State Park, literally 15 minutes from where Charlotte and her two sisters were raised. They rode bikes around the loop road, we see. They camped, they cooked out and they’re here to make memories, the kind that lasts a lifetime.
But instead, the day turned into every parent’s nightmare. I just met with Charlotte’s parents, David and Trisha, obviously distraught. And as a mother and as a grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain they’re going through. They shared with me how joyful their little girl is. A fourth grader just recently elected to be a class officer for student council. And everybody thought of her as just a really nice girl, the kind that people wanted to be friends with, the kind that looked out for other children, the pride of every parent.
So, it’s a very hard time for her family. I’ll go through the circumstances of her disappearance, and we’ll have representation from law enforcement to talk regarding the search. Charlotte was camping with her family here in Moreau State Park. Last evening, she went out on a bike ride. It wasn’t dark, it’s right around dinnertime, and did a couple of loops with close friends she considers her cousins. And then she decided following going around, she said she’s finally going around one more time by herself. Be that big girl, do it by herself. Literally 15 minutes later, she hadn’t come back yet. And that’s really when the nightmare begins.
Her parents knew immediately something was up. They called her name. People started searching, people from other campgrounds joined. And 30 minutes later, at 6:47, Charlotte’s mother, Trisha, called 911. The scene was chaotic. People leaving their food, leaving their tables, just everyone in search, calling the name, “Charlotte, Charlotte.” By 7:00 p.m., the state police were on site. And for the last 18 hours—18 plus hours teams from the New York State Police, dogs, aviation, our bloodhounds are here. The sword operators, special response teams are on site. New York State Park Police, forest rangers, underwater rescue teams and drones. We brought in technology experts also to analyze other forms of communications in the park at that time.
A command post has been established at the state park right behind us and additional search teams were deployed this morning. Right now, there’s over 100 personnel deployed, 75 law enforcement on the ground, the two drones, an airboat search team, six underwater rescue teams, another boat that has sonar. We also have the Schenectady Fire Office here assisting with the search, given that Charlotte is the niece of one of the members of the Schenectady Fire Department. We are leaving no stone, no branch, no table, no cabin unturned, untouched, unexamined in our search to find Charlotte.
We’ll keep the members of the public updated. I promised her parents we’ll find their daughter. She’s all of our daughters. Their family needs love. They need prayers. And if you know anything, if you’ve seen anything, you hear anything, please contact 911 to tell us what you know and what you may contribute to the search for this little girl.
Hearts are broken here today in New York. Hopefully there’ll be a reunion. Hopefully there’ll be a family that has been traumatized but is reunited. That is our prayer and our hope at this time.
With that, let me bring up Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mazzone to follow up on our continuing search for Charlotte.
1696194118
#Video #Audio #Photos #Rush #Transcript #Governor #Hochul #Update #Search #Charlotte #Sena
