Girl missing for 2 months was in Ohio with 31-year-old man she met online

Authorities say a 12-year-old Hall County girl who was missing for two months was found in Ohio with a 31-year-old man she had been communicating with online prior to her disappearance.

Maria Gomez-Perez of Gainesville was found “safe and OK” on Thursday, the Hall County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

She had been last seen at home on May 29.

Maria was found with 31-year-old Antonio Agustin on Thursday, Sheriff Gerald Couch said.

Police did not detail any charges against Agustin but Couch said he could face several felony charges given that he moved a child across state lines.

He said authorities believe Maria had been communicating with Augustin on Facebook and other online apps.

“Maria had indicated that she was unhappy and she wanted to leave home,” Couch said, adding that she had been communicating with other “adult males” online and gave told them the same story.

“Let me be very clear on this, Maria is the victim here,” the sheriff said. "Remember she is only 12 years old.” 

Investigators learned that Augustin drove from his home in Ohio to pick up Maria from Gainesville on May 29, Couch said. 

Police believe Augustin had Maria with him at his home the entire time. 

The case caught a break last week when Maria messaged her father on Facebook to ask him to stop looking for her.

She was using a new Facebook account she created to be able to message him, Couch said, and told her father that she was doing alright and would not be coming home. 

Authorities were able to track down Maria by tracing the IP address to a Dover, Ohio, where they found Augustin with Maria at a local swimming pool. 

Hall County and Ohio authorities arrested Augustin at a shopping center, where they safely recovered Maria from the scene, Couch said. 

Augustin remained in custody in Ohio on Friday, awaiting extradition proceedings.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.