Rendering shows what Dulce Maria Alavez could look like 4-years after her disappearance from NJ park
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.
BRIDGETON, N.J. - An artist rendering shows what Dulce Maria Alavez could look like today ahead of the four-year anniversary of her disappearance from a New Jersey park.
Alavez was 5-years-old when authorities say she went missing while playing with her younger brother on Sept. 16 at Bridgeton City Park.
Dulce's mother allowed her two children to play on a nearby playground while she stayed in her car with an 8-year-old cousin who accompanied them to the park.
A short time later, police say her brother returned to the car without Dulce. Her mother searched the park thinking Dulce could be hiding, but she could not find her.
Police issued an Amber Alert a day later and community members joined law enforcement's frantic search for the child that involved helicopters with thermal imaging.
As part of the search, police shared images of Dulce from inside a convenience store where the family had stopped to get ice cream before they headed to the park.
Few leads have followed in the four years since Dulce, who would be 8-years-old, vanished. The community continues to hold prayer vigils in hopes for her safe return.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) shared an age progression image of what Dulce, who would be 8-years-old, could look like today.
"Our age progression images have helped bring home missing children many times," said Angeline Hartmann, director of communications at NCMEC. We ask people to keep in mind that this may not be exactly what Dulce looks like now. This is an approximation, meant to spark recognition."
NCMEC generates age progression images every two years until a missing child turns 18, then every five years because their features do not change as much once they reach adulthood.