South Jersey Prosecutor Debunks Fake Online Claims in Dulce Maria Alavez Case

Authorities in South Jersey have taken to social media to quell a fake rumor that the body of a missing child has been recovered.

And we stress that these rumors are false.

Officials Address False Online Reports

The Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office says it has received reports about a post that is circulating online, which falsely states that a body has been found and that it is the remains of Dulce Maria Alavez, who went missing in 2019 when she was five years old.

That false post claims a body was discovered "this morning around 6am by hunters in nearby woods" and "her remains are being examined."

Officials say, "Please be advised that these reports are not confirmed and are untrue. No one has reported finding remains at this time."

Background on Dulce Maria Alavez's Disappearance

Dulce Maria Alavez went missing from a playground in Bridgeton on September 16, 2019. She vanished while she was with her brother, just yards away from her mother, who was sitting in a nearby vehicle. Authorities believe she was abducted. Searches began immediately and continued for weeks and months with no leads as to what happened to her.

Earlier this year, on the sixth anniversary of her disappearance, Col. Patrick J. Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, said in a statement, "Six years later, this case remains just as important today as it was on the first day. Our detectives, working side by side with the [Cumberland County] Prosecutor's Office and our law enforcement partners, have never stopped pursuing every lead."

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recently released this image showing what Alavez looked like when she vanished (left), along with an AI-generated image of what she may look like today (right) at the age of 11.

How to Report Information or Tips

Anyone with information about this false post or Dulce's disappearance can contact the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office at (856) 453-0486. Tips may be submitted anonymously.