Maria Gomez-Perez found safe in Ohio, Guatemalan national arrested

HALL COUNTY, Ga. - After a nearly 60-day search, Hall County authorities say 12-year-old Maria Gomez-Perez has been found safe and a suspect is in custody on custody inference charges.

Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said that the missing girl was found in Dover, Ohio on Thursday and should be coming home on Friday.

"The tireless work of our CIB, law enforcement partners and the community has resulted in the best possible outcome," Couch said. "Our prayers for Maria’s safe return have been answered." 

Maria was last seen at her home on Westside Drive in Gainesville on May 29. The Hall County Sheriff's Office had followed leads in South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Illinois and Maryland, but they all came up short. The FBI, GBI, Homeland Security, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted in the search. 

SEE ALSO: Parent resources to keep children safe online

According to Couch, Gomez-Perez was found at a shopping center with a 34-year-old Guatemalan native Antonio Agustin. 

How did investigators find Maria Gomez-Perez?

Investigators believe that the girl had been talking with Agustin and other adult men for a while on Facebook Messenger and other apps.

"Maria had indicated that she was unhappy, and she would like to leave home," Couch said. 

Authorities say that Augustin drove down to Georgia to meet Gomez-Perez at her house on May 29 and that the two of them have been in Ohio ever since. 

Couch said a breakthrough in the case happened last week when Gomez-Perez contacted her father on Facebook Messenger on a new account, telling him that she was OK and that he should stop looking for her.

Detectives were able to track the IP address used in those messages to a phone in Ohio. 

Four sheriff's investigators traveled to Ohio this week and spotted Gomez-Perez at a city swimming pool. Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Capt. Adam Fisher told FOX 5 that Augustin was arrested, and Gomez-Perez was recovered after Augustin drove the two from the pool to a Walmart in neighboring New Philadelphia. 

Gomez-Perez was interviewed with the assistance of a child advocacy center and an interpreter. She was also taken to Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio for a wellness check.

Who is Antonio Augustin?

Augustin was being held in custody in Ohio for felony interference with custody, but has not formally been charged. Couch said multiple felony charges are possible in the case. He is being held without bond. 

Fisher said. Augustin doesn't have an attorney who could speak for him, Fisher said. An extradition hearing to Georgia is likely next week with Ohio officials planning to prosecute Augustin after legal proceedings conclude in Georgia, Fisher added. 

Fisher said federal immigration officials have placed a detainer on Augustin, indicating they could seek to deport him, but Fisher said he didn't know Augustin's immigration status. Augustin's only previous encounter with law enforcement in Tuscarawas County came in 2021 when he was cited for driving without a license and with an open container of alcohol. 

Maria Gomez-Perez's father is overjoyed at her safe recovery

Andres Gomez Alonso, her father, says he is overjoyed by the news. 

"I’ll hug her and thank God because he made it possible," he told FOX 5 through an interpreter on Friday. 

He says the nearly two-month search for her has been hard. 

"But at this time, thank God, I did trust God," he added. 

SEE ALSO: Maria Gomez-Perez's father: 'Trust God that he will bring my daughter back'

The father says he is grateful for the help of deputies and investigators.

"He's just saying that he's very grateful, and he has been waiting, waiting and waiting for this day," his interpreter said. 

Art Gallegos Jr., a community leader in Gainesville who helped organize the search and the reward, says he was adamant about her safe return. 

"We were never giving up. Number one, prayer. Prayer works, you know, And I think that we are happy that the dad is happy. This is a great outcome. It's a great day to celebrate life," Gallegos said. 

The young girl is being escorted back to Georgia to be reunited with her family.

A $50,000 reward for her safe return was established by law enforcement and community members. Couch said it will not be claimed due to the nature of how they found Gomez-Perez.

The Associated Press contributed to this report