New twist in missing girl case after mysterious YouTube video emerges
An eerie video featuring a little girl has been uploaded to YouTube to mark her seventh birthday and now authorities are hoping to speak with her father.
Dulce Maria Alavez vanished from a park in New Jersey in September 2019 with authorities believing she was abducted.
To mark Dulce Maria's seventh birthday, a video was uploaded to YouTube, featuring images and videos of the little girl.
In the video, a man's voice is heard and claims to be Dulce Maria's father, Edgar Perez.
"As we all know, today is my daughter's birthday, she turns seven-years-old and I decided to make this video because it's been almost two years since she disappeared," the man says.
"I'm really sad and hurt — I don't know where she is."
In 2018, Perez was deported to Mexico and he was never considered to be a suspect in Dulce Maria's disappearance NJ.com reported.
Police are now hoping to speak with Perez to verify he made the video.
"We don’t know who made the video, so we’re trying to determine that," Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari said according to NJ.com.
"But, yes, we would like to open up more of a rapport with him."
Dulce Maria's mother has reportedly confirmed the man speaking in the video is Perez.
In the video, Perez repeatedly says he had nothing to do with his daughter's disappearance.
“For those who think I took my baby girl, let me tell you I got nothing to do with it,” Perez said, adding he just wants to know where she is.
Latest development 'scary'
Jackie Rodríguez used to be a spokesperson for the family and since the video was released, has said she had some hope Dulce Maria was safe with her father.
“I did have some kind of hope that she was with her dad and she was in safe hands, but now that he’s saying he doesn’t have her, he’s had nothing to do with her disappearance, now it’s scary,” Rodríguez said according to CBS.
The investigation into Dulce Maria's disappearance is ongoing and anyone with information is being urged to come forward to police.
There is a reward of $75,000 ($A97,188) for information which leads to Dulce Maria's return.
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