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“Promote unity by wearing your orange!” reads a message on the district’s Facebook page. “Other schools in our region will be wearing orange to support Corinth, too.”
The heartwarming display hinted at the immense support the community has shown the girl’s family throughout the terrifying 48-hour manhunt that garnered national attention.
In a statement Tuesday morning, Charlotte’s family said they were “thrilled” she is home and they “understand that the outcome is not what every family gets.”
“A huge thank you to the FBI, the New York State Police, all of the agencies that were mobilized, all of the families, friends, community, neighbors and hundreds of volunteers who supported us and worked tirelessly to bring Charlotte home.”
That support has continued online as well, where donors have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a GoFundMe created “to help with any expenses while they transition back into some sense of normalcy.”
Several donors said they want the family to spend as much time as they can with the girl “without worrying about working.”
“We hope Charlotte and her family can start to heal,” reads one comment. “It's going to be a long road but the whole community rallied; they have a tremendous amount of love and support around them.”
Those who wish to support the campaign can do so here.
Counselors with the Corinth Central School District shared the following resources to help parents discuss the kidnapping and other sensitive subjects with their children:
When Bad Things Happen
- The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Kid Smartz page
- Talking With Your Child When the News Is Scary
Timeline of Events
Charlotte was reported missing in Saratoga County on Saturday evening, Sept. 30 at Moreau Lake State Park in the town of Moreau.
Her mother called 911 after finding the girl’s bicycle along a path in the 6,200-acre park.
An AMBER Alert was activated by state police on Sunday, Oct. 1, who said they were investigating a possible abduction.
The case started to break at around 4:20 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2, at the Sena family's home, which was being guarded by state police while the parents remained at the campsite.
That's when a car pulled up to the mailbox and police found a ransom note.
State police were then able to identify a fingerprint from the note and got a hit from a 1999 DWI charge in Saratoga as a match, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a news conference Monday evening.
"Further investigation led to the search of multiple residences where the individual is known to reside," according to state police.
Finally, at around 6:30 p.m., after searching several homes in the village of Ballston Spa, law enforcement teams in two helicopters descended on a property with a double-wide house where the suspect’s mother lives.
The suspect, 47-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr., was arrested in a camper behind the house.
"They have what they call a dynamic entry, a tactical maneuver, and within the camper, they located the suspect," Hochul said.
"After some resistance, the suspect was taken into custody, and immediately the little girl was found in a cabinet cupboard. She was rescued.”
Ross was charged with first-degree kidnapping, a felony, arraigned, and sent to the Saratoga County jail without bail.
Additional charges are anticipated, state police said.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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