Family, supporters gather to remember Dulce Alavez 3 years after the N.J. girl disappeared

It’s a tradition no one ever wanted.

Each Sept. 16, community members return to Bridgeton City Park in Cumberland County to assemble around a large oak tree dedicated in honor of Dulce Maria Alavez, a 5-year-old girl who disappeared during a family outing to the park on that day in 2019.

Each year, participants hope the coming months will bring good news about Dulce and an end to these annual vigils and prayers for her return.

They just want her back home.

Dulce’s family was joined by local residents Friday evening for the annual vigil to celebrate Dulce and remind the community that the girl remains missing three years later. They also gathered here in April to mark her 8th birthday.

Investigators believe Dulce was likely abducted from the park and an unclaimed reward for information in the case stands at $75,000.

Authorities say they remain hopeful she is still alive.

Dulce Maria Alavez age progression

In 2021, authorities released age-progression images (left, center) of how Dulce Maria Alavez may appear as a 7-year-old. She was 5 (right) when she disappeared from a Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16, 2019. Her 8th birthday was in April.

They have pursued hundreds of tips and the case has led them to 11 states and Mexico, according to investigators. The most recent tip came in earlier this month, they say.

Officials remain mum about details of their investigation, but stressed that they still want to hear from anyone with relevant information.

Dulce’s mother, Noema Alavez Perez, expressed confidence that detectives are still treating her daughter’s case as a priority. “They’re always on the case,” she said recently. “They are working on it.”

She also expressed appreciation for the local volunteers helping her family spread the word about her child and organizing events, including the vigil.

Alavez Perez vowed to continue looking for her daughter and asked the community to keep sharing the girl’s image.

One of those volunteers helping the family is local resident Brenda Trinidad, who has fond memories of childhood trips to Bridgeton City Park for canoeing with her brother and grandmother.

When she first heard about Dulce’s disappearance in 2019, she thought back to those days.

“The only thing she feared was us drowning, never being kidnapped,” Trinidad recalled, adding that she felt she owed it to her kids and future grandkids to step up and help Dulce’s family, even though she didn’t know them personally.

“Honestly, I would’ve never thought in a million years I would be helping someone with a missing child,” she said. “We stand for Dulce and we won’t back down until she’s found. If Dulce’s abductor isn’t found, then the streets won’t be safe for my kids or grandkids.”

Family and supporters gather for a vigil for Dulce Alavez on the anniversary of her disappearance

Norma Perez speaks about her granddaughter, Dulce, at Bridgeton City Park, in Bridgeton, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. Family and supporters gathered for a vigil for Dulce Maria Alavez, who vanished from the park on Sept. 16, 2019.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance

Trinidad wants to see the community do more to help solve this mystery. She suspects someone may know more about the case.

“Someone in Bridgeton is sitting on information on Dulce’s whereabouts or the abductor,” she said. “We plead to this person to come forward and say what you know to help bring her home.”

Anyone with information about Dulce is asked to contact authorities via one of these options:

  • Bridgeton Police: 856-451-0033
  • Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office: 856-453-0486
  • New Jersey State Police: 609-882-2000, ext. 2554
  • FBI: 1-800-CALL-FBI (select option 4, then option 8)
  • Anonymous tips may be sent to Bridgeton Police at bpdops.com/tips or to the prosecutor’s office at njccpo.org/tips.

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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.

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