Seven Years Later, South Jersey Still Hasn’t Forgotten Dulce Alavez

I don't think most of South Jersey can wrap its head around the fact that it's been seven years.

Seven YEARS.

On September 16, 2019, 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez disappeared from Bridgeton City Park while she was playing with her younger brother. She has never been found.

And somehow, we're here in 2026, still wondering what happened to that little girl.

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Dulce Would Be 12 Years Old Today

That's the part that really hits me.

Dulce was only five when she disappeared. Today, she would be 12.

Over the years, there have been documentaries, podcasts, theories and countless conversations about the case. But after all of that, her family is still waiting for the one thing nobody can replace: answers.

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And investigators haven't given up.

On this seventh anniversary, the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office said the investigation remains active. Officials say investigators have continued reviewing the case with New Jersey State Police and developing new leads from tips they've received.

The FBI is also offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to Dulce's whereabouts.

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South Jersey Still Wants Answers for Dulce

Seven years is an incredibly long time for a family to live with this kind of uncertainty.

But Dulce's name hasn't disappeared from South Jersey.

Her family continues to hold an annual vigil, the community continues to remember her, and investigators continue asking anyone with information to come forward.

I think it's safe to say that people here still want the same thing they've wanted from the beginning: answers, justice and, most importantly, to know what happened to Dulce.

Seven years later, nobody should forget