Man Arrested in Kidnapping of 9-Year-Old Girl at New York State Park

MILTON, N.Y. – In a shocking incident at Moreau Lake State Park, a 46-year-old New York man, Craig Nelson Ross Jr., has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 9-year-old girl. The suspect had a minor criminal history and was residing in a camper behind his mother’s double-wide trailer.

Ross had previously pleaded guilty to drunken driving charges in 1999, which required him to submit fingerprint samples. These fingerprints played a crucial role in his recent arrest in connection with the abduction of Charlotte Sena.

A ransom note was discovered in the mailbox of the victim’s parents around 4:20 a.m. on Monday, while state troopers were on guard. After running fingerprint checks, authorities identified Ross as the prime suspect by 2:30 p.m.

Ross’s previous criminal charges were relatively minor.

In 1999, he was arrested and received a conditional discharge for a DWI case, resulting in a 90-day driver’s license suspension. In 2017, Ross faced a misdemeanor charge of criminal obstruction of breathing, but additional details about that incident were not readily available.

In another incident a year earlier, he was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of aggravated harassment. Specifics of this incident were also unclear, and it may have been sealed or dismissed.

Ross had a few encounters with the police, but no charges were filed in a 2016 incident.

A neighbor of Ross’s mother described him as a recluse. He recalled an incident from their childhood when Ross was denied entry into his own home by his mother, who offered only a Band-Aid after he had injured himself.

Ross’s mother has not responded to inquiries for comment.

On the day of his arrest, investigators were seen removing evidence from Ross’s camper, which was parked behind his mother’s trailer in Ballston Spa, not far from where Charlotte was abducted.

State and federal tactical teams executed a raid on Ross’s camper, leading to his arrest, despite his resistance. Charlotte Sena was found safe inside a cabinet within the camper.

An Amber Alert had been issued on Sunday after Charlotte was abducted, but it was canceled after her safe rescue.

Governor Kathy Hochul mentioned that it is unclear whether Ross knew the Sena family before the abduction, but he lived close to their residence.

Ross is now facing charges of first-degree kidnapping with intent to collect ransom.

As Charlotte Sena recovers from her ordeal, her parents have taken time off work to care for her and her two sisters. The family expressed their gratitude to law enforcement agencies, the community, and volunteers who supported them during this difficult time.