Reward increased to $52,000 in case of 5-year-old girl who may have been abducted from a New Jersey playground

BRIDGETON, N.J. (WPIX) -- Authorities in New Jersey are now offering $52,000 for any information leading to the whereabouts of 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, who has been missing for nearly a month.

The search for Dulce began at 4:50 p.m. on September 16, when police responded to the Bridgeton city park's ball fields and playground area for a report about a missing child.

Dulce's mother Noema Alavez Perez said the girl was playing on the swings with her 3-year-old brother while she sat in her car about 30 yards away with an 8-year-old relative, according to police.

Perez told police that the 3-year-old returned to the car without his sister & that she was unable to find Dulce, who was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with a koala bear on the front, black and white checkered pants with a flower design, and white sandals, police said. She is 3-foot-5 and weighs 40 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

The Amber Alert described the possible suspect as a light-skinned, Hispanic male between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8, a thin build, no facial hair and acne on his face. He was wearing orange sneakers, red pants, and a black shirt, police said.