Investigators Release Age-Progressed Image Of Missing Dulce Maria Alavez Nearing 2 Years After Her Disappearance
BRIDGETON, N.J. (CBS) -- Investigators in Cumberland County released Wednesday an age-progressed image of what Dulce Maria Alavez may look like now, nearing two years after her disappearance from Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16, 2019. Dulce would now be 7 years old.
The image was created with the help of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
"We hold out hope that Dulce is alive (as we have no evidence of her demise) and want the public to know that this case will remain open until such time as we locate Dulce and determine those responsible for her disappearance," investigators said in a news release Wednesday.
Noema Alavez Perez, Dulce's mother, told police she was in a car nearby with an 8-year-old relative, while Dulce and her 3-year-old brother played on the playground. When Perez went to check on the children, Dulce was nowhere to be found.
"Dulce, we are still here for you if you're watching, if one day you see this, you see that there's still people out here that's fighting for you," Jackie Rodriguez, who acted as a spokesperson for the family in the past, said on Sept. 13, 2020.
In April of this year, Dulce's father, Edgar Perez, denied that he has her or knows what happened to her. Perez was deported to Mexico the Christmas before his daughter went missing. A spokesperson for Perez told CBS3 he made a video to affirm his love for his daughter and deny rumors he knows what happened.
Eyewitness News spoke to the Cumberland County prosecutor about Dulce on Wednesday night.
"Within the last few weeks, we are still actively receiving tips and following up on them. In addition to that, we hold out hope because we know there are cases where children have gone missing and have been found after years of missing," Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said. "It's important for the public to know we have not forgotten about Dulce.
There is a $75,000 reward for information leading to finding Dulce.
Anyone with any information regarding Dulce's whereabouts is being urged to call Bridgeton police at 856-451-0033 or the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office at 856-453-0486. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at www.ccpo.tips and www.bpd.tips.