N.J. Community Comes Together For Candlelight Vigil, Praying For Return Of Missing 5-Year-Old Dulce Maria Alavez

BRIDGETON, N.J. (CBS) -- More than 100 people were in attendance on Saturday night for an emotional vigil to pray for missing 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez. They say they just want a safe return of the little girl as day six of the search came to a close.

A sea of people gathered in prayer at Bridgeton City Park, near the spot where the 5-year-old disappeared.

"It's already been five days since she's been missing and we just beg the people to tell police," Dulce's cousin, Yiesica Hernandez said.

Those who attended the vigil wore the color yellow, for the last shirt Dulce was seen wearing. Law enforcement was also in attendance, taking pictures of vigil attendees.

The vigil's organizer, Jackie Rodriguez offered a message to Dulce, "You're coming back home. Fight, fight your way home," she said.

Earlier at the park Saturday, three witnesses along with investigators, returned to the scene where Dulce was last seen alive..

Authorities believe she was kidnapped from the Bridgeton City Park playground in South Jersey on Monday between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. An Ambler Alert was issued on Tuesday night in her disappearance. 

Dulce was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with an elephant, black and white pants, and white shoes. A $35,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Dulce or her possible abductor.

*** If you have any information, please call police at 856-451-0033 or text anonymously to TIP411. ***

Her mother was reportedly in a nearby parking lot when Dulce went missing from the playground.

Investigators say they have no real suspects at this time but they are looking for a possible person of interest.

He is described as a light-skinned, possibly Hispanic, man, and standing 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8 with a thin build. He has no facial hair but he does have acne.

Police say he was last seen wearing orange sneakers, red pants and a black shirt. He was driving a red van with a sliding door and tinted windows.

Detectives say they've conducted about 75 interviews so far.

Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari said the search expanded another mile-and-a-half in each direction.

Gaimari also shot down an erroneous report going around that Dulce's mother, 19-year-old Noema Alavez Perez, was arrested and said how that report started is being investigated.

Investigators are trying to leave no stone unturned in their search for Dulce. They're asking the public to keep watch for the girl and her possible abductor. Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae reiterated they need the public's help.

She described changes in behavior she wants you to look for, including suddenly missing work or appointments since Monday, increasing alcohol consumption, abruptly discarding clothes or even a vehicle, or leaving town without an explanation.

"We want people in the surrounding areas to be alert and looking at behavior and if they see anything that they see suspicious, no lead is too small or too insignificant for us to take a look at," Webb-McRae said.

Below is an up-to-date timeline of Dulce's disappearance.

Monday

Police say Dulce was taken between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. She was last seen playing on the swings with her younger brother at the park. Police say her mother, 19-year-old Noema Alavez Perez, was sitting in a parking lot nearby and didn't see what happened to her daughter.

"We thought that she was just hiding, playing around and we went looking for her but we couldn't find her," Perez said.

Dulce was reported missing and police and volunteers began scouring the park and nearby wooded areas and bodies of water for the little girl.

Tuesday

With choppers, scuba gear and numerous dogs, police and community members continued to search the park. After two days searching every possible area of the 1,000-acre park, police determined the girl had been abducted and issued an Amber Alert late Tuesday night.

Police were able to get enough information to issue an Amber Alert by tracking down people who had been hanging around the basketball courts near the area where Dulce disappeared. At least one person was able to provide details about a possible kidnapper.

The Amber Alert included a description of the alleged abductor — a light-skinned, possibly Hispanic, man, standing 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-8 with a thin build. There is no word on if he was known to Dulce or was a stranger.

On Friday morning, about 100 officers from different departments gathered at the ball fields close to where Dulce disappeared. Groups of uniformed officers went through the woods and a New Jersey State Police helicopter performed and aerial search. This is the largest search effort at the park since Tuesday when authorities issued an Amber Alert.

Wednesday

A statewide search for Dulce intensifies after the Amber Alert. The FBI and New Jersey State Police join the search.

Community members and police again searched the park as "missing" posters and flyers lined businesses in Bridgeton's downtown.

Dulce's aunt, Nayiber Alavez Perez, says accusations on social media that the family is involved in the abduction are wrong and untrue.

"Well, it's really much more harder for us because they're judging us that we have something to do with it, when we don't. We might not show emotion or things like that but it's because we're trying to be strong for her. We just want her back home," Alavez Perez said.

Thursday

Cumberland County authorities hold a press conference asking the public for help in the search, saying that no detail or tip is too small or insignificant.

"Anyone who was at the park on Monday afternoon could have information of great assistance to this investigation. Please, we're appealing to you to call us to help us find Dulce," Webb-McRae said.

Dulce's grandmother made an emotional plea for the public's help.

"Do not be afraid of the police. We have not been able to eat nor sleep. You can't imagine what we are going through. We are very sad," she said through a translator.

Authorities say anyone willing to give them information does not need to worry about questions about their immigration status.

Police say Dulce's mother is cooperating with police and the girl's father is not in the United States.

Police conducted another K-9 search Thursday in the area of the playground where Dulce disappeared.

Investigators are asking people to call police if they were in the park Monday afternoon.

Friday

On Friday morning, about 100 officers from different departments gathered at the ball fields close to where Dulce disappeared. Groups of uniformed officers went through the woods and a New Jersey State Police helicopter performed and aerial search.

This is the largest search effort at the park since Tuesday when authorities issued an Amber Alert.

Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari said the search expanded another mile-and-a-half in each direction.

Reports of Dulce's mother, 19-year-old Noema Alavez Perez, was arrested were shot down by Gaimari.

Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae tells the public to be on the lookout for strange behavior from people in the community.

"We want people in the surrounding ares to be alert and looking at behavior and if they see anything they see as suspicious, no lead is too small or too insignificant for us to take a look at," Webb-McRae said.

She says the changes in behavior you should be alert for include, suddenly missing work or appointments since Monday, increasing alcohol consumption, abruptly discarding clothes or even a vehicle, or leaving town without an explanation.

Dulce's family is fully cooperating with officials in the investigation and they are actively seeking to speak with Dulce's father who is not in the United States.

*** If you have any information, please call police at 856-451-0033 or text anonymously to TIP411. ***

CBS3's Cleve Bryan, Alexandria Hoff  and Chantee Lans contributed to this report.

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