A 12-year-old girl from Gainesville, Georgia, whose disappearance sparked a widespread search, has been found in Dover, Ohio. Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch announced on Friday that Maria Gomez-Perez was discovered on Thursday in the company of a Guatemalan man who has since been arrested.
“I come to you with some very great news,” Sheriff Couch shared during a press conference. “Maria Gomez-Perez has been found safe in Dover, Ohio, and she should be on her way home to Gainesville with our investigators within the hour.”
Maria was last seen at her father Andres Gomez's home on May 29 in Gainesville, which is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. She was reported missing the following day, leading to a massive search effort. Local authorities and businesses offered a $50,000 reward, and volunteers covered the community with posters, flyers, and billboards in hopes of finding her.
Investigators discovered that Maria had been communicating online with men, expressing her desire to leave home. They believe Antonio Augustin, a 31-year-old man (though Ohio jail records list him as 34), drove from Ohio to Georgia to pick up Maria and took her back to his home in Dover.
“Let me be very clear on this: Maria is the victim in this case,” Sheriff Couch emphasized. “And remember, she’s 12 years old.”
The breakthrough in the case came when Maria contacted her father through a new Facebook account last week, telling him she was safe but would not return home and asking him to stop searching for her. Investigators used this message to trace the Facebook page's internet address, leading them to a phone number associated with a residence in Dover.
Four sheriff's investigators traveled to Ohio, where they found Maria at a city swimming pool. According to Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Capt. Adam Fisher, Augustin was arrested, and Maria was safely recovered after he drove them from the pool to a Walmart in nearby New Philadelphia. Maria was then examined by medical personnel.
Augustin is currently held on a Georgia charge of interference with custody, and Ohio officials may later pursue charges of rape and other crimes. Sheriff Couch indicated that additional criminal charges are likely against Augustin in Georgia as well.
As of Friday, Augustin had not appeared before a judge, and no bail had been set. He does not have an attorney who could comment on his behalf. An extradition hearing to Georgia is expected next week, with Ohio officials planning to prosecute him after legal proceedings conclude in Georgia. Federal immigration officials have placed a detainer on Augustin, suggesting possible deportation, though his immigration status remains unclear. His only previous encounter with law enforcement in Tuscarawas County was a 2021 citation for driving without a license and with an open container of alcohol.
The initial response to Maria’s disappearance faced criticism, particularly because the Georgia Bureau of Investigation did not issue an Amber Alert, believing the case did not meet the criteria. Gainesville, known for its large Hispanic community working in the poultry processing industry, saw a significant community effort to bring attention to Maria’s case.
“It’s hard to put into words what we saw. I just really, really am proud of our community,” Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon said to The Times of Gainesville on Friday. “Our Hispanic community really stood up and made their presence known, shining a light on this missing child.”
Sheriff Couch concluded with a warning to parents about monitoring their children's online activity.
“Technology is a wonderful thing. It helped us locate Maria. But technology can also be used for evil. It’s why Maria was able to leave Gainesville with a stranger and travel nine hours away from home,” he said. “So please know what your children are doing and who they’re communicating with. They're our most vulnerable and our most valuable citizens, and it is our duty to take care of them.”
