Left and Center: Cesilia circa, 1976
Right: Age Progressed to age 53
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: October 6, 1976
Missing From: Manhattan, New York County, New York
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: September 4, 1962
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 4’9″ and 111 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Hispanic Female, Black hair, Brown eyes, Cesilia has a scar on her left forearm
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A school uniform which consisted of a light gray jacket, white blouse, and a gray plaid skirt
NCMEC Number: 601859
Details of Disappearance
Cesilia Pena was last seen in Manhattan, New York on October 6th 1976. She was last seen on the subway as this was her means of transportation that she used to get to and from school. When she used her normal route to return home, Cesilia took the Number 2 train at the 149th Street station in Manhattan.
After that, Cesilia would travel 5 stops down to the Simpson Street Station which was her exit. From there, she would take the Number 5 bus home or her family’s residence. She did this every school day. Cesilia was last seen by her friends at the 149th Street station. She never made it home to her family and has never been seen or heard from since.
Authorities suspect that something happened to Cesilia while on her normal route to her home. A witness came forward with a sighting of Cesilia. This sighting took place after the initial last sighting of Cesilia occurred. The witness said that Cesilia was standing on the corner of 163rd Street and Southern Boulevard with a man known as Anthony or “Rudy” Flores.
The witness stated that Flores was holding the girl by her arm and that she looked terrified of him. The location of the sighting is in close proximity to where she would usually get off. Authorities believe that Cesilia either got off the subway earlier then she usually did or that she got off at her usual spot and Flores met her there.
When questioned, Flores claimed that he was not with Cesilia on the day of her disappearance and that he had nothing to do with it. Anthony is also a suspect in the presumed abduction of Nelida Del Valle from Massachusetts later in 1976. Flores maintains his innocence in both cases and is currently in prison for murders he committed in New York.
Cesilia has never been found and no one has been charged with her disappearance. Her case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
New York City Police Department 646-610-6914
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children