A 12-year-old girl from Georgia who disappeared in late May has been found in Ohio with a Guatemalan man she met on the internet, according to local authorities.
Maria Gomez-Perez was found Thursday in Dover, Ohio, eight weeks after she went missing from her home in Gainesville, Georgia, Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said during a press 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,” the sheriff said.
Police have arrested Antonio Agustin, a 31-year-old Guatemalan national, in connection with the girl’s disappearance. He is being held at Tuscarawas County Jail.
Mr. Couch said police believed Ms. Gomez-Perez had been communicating with Mr. Agustin and other adult males through Facebook Messenger and other apps online.
“Maria had indicated she was unhappy and wanted to leave home,” the sheriff told reporters. “That said, I want to be clear that Maria is the victim here. She is only 12-years-old.”
Investigators believe that Mr. Agustin traveled to Gainesville on May 29, picked up Ms. Gomez-Perez, and took her back to his home in Dover that same day.
Mr. Couch said that Ms. Gomez-Perez contacted her father through Facebook Messenger last week, telling him that she was fine and asking him to stop looking for her.
Investigators then traced the IP address of the Facebook page she used, which led them to a phone number linked to a residence in Dover.
Four investigators went to Ohio and tracked the phone to the Dover City Park swimming pool, where they spotted Ms. Gomez-Perez with the man. They followed the pair to a nearby shopping center parking lot and arrested Mr. Agustin.
Ms. Gomez-Perez has been taken to a local hospital for a wellness check. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said it will bring charges against Mr. Agustin after consultation with the District Attorney’s Office.
Mr. Couch said Mr. Agustin could face several felony charges in Georgia and Ohio for taking a child across state lines. Ohio will likely seek a charge of interference with custody against Mr. Agustin, and Georgia authorities will also pursue additional criminal charges, he said.
The sheriff implored parents to monitor their children’s online activity to ensure their safety.
“Technology is a wonderful thing. It helped us locate Maria. But technology can also be used for evil,” Mr. Couch said.
“It’s why Maria was able to leave Gainesville with a stranger and travel nine hours away from home. So, please, know what your children are doing and who they’re communicating with,” he said.
It is not known if Mr. Agustin has a legal representative at this time. Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Capt. Adam Fisher said that Mr. Agustin had not yet seen a judge following his arrest and no bail had been set.
Ms. Gomez-Perez’s disappearance sparked an extensive search effort, with local businesses and community members offering a $50,000 reward for her safe return and putting up a billboard seeking information on her whereabouts.
