A 12-year-old girl whose disappearance galvanized a Georgia community has been found in Ohio. Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said Friday that Maria Gomez-Perez was found Thursday in Dover, about 70 miles south of Cleveland, in the company of a Guatemalan man who's now jailed, per the . "I come to you with some very great news," Couch told reporters in a news conference.
"Maria Gomez-Perez has been [found] safe in Dover, Ohio, and she should be on her way home here to Gainesville with our investigators within the hour." Gomez-Perez was last seen at the home of her father, Andres Gomez, on May 29 in Gainesville, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. She was reported missing a day later.
Gomez-Perez's disappearance sparked a huge search, with local authorities and businesses offering a $50,000 reward. Volunteers canvassed the community looking for the girl and papered the area with posters, flyers, and even billboards seeking the girl's return. Couch said investigators found Gomez-Perez had been communicating online with men, expressing unhappiness and saying she wanted to leave home.
He said investigators believe Antonio Agustin drove to Georgia, picked up Gomez-Perez, and drove her back to Agustin's home in Dover. While Couch said Agustin is 31 years old, Ohio jail records list him as 34. "Let me be very clear on this: Maria is the victim in this case," Couch said.
"Remember, she's 12 years old." Couch said investigators began to home in on Gomez-Perez's location when she con.