Poppy Bilderbeck
Police have revealed 12-year-old Maria Gomez-Perez has been discovered safe after 57 days missing.
On May 29 earlier this year, 12-year-old Maria Gomez-Perez went missing, last seen at her home in Westside Drive in Hall County, Georgia in the US that morning.
A search was immediately launched by authorities spanning multiple states, with the hunt lasting 57 days, with Hall County Sheriff's office having since revealed the 12-year-old has been located.
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The Hall County Sheriff’s Office search covered states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The FBI, GBI, Homeland Security and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted.
At the time, a spokesperson for the office said, as quoted by NewsNation: "The team is using resources including intelligence, translators, drones, crime scene investigators and simple determination to find clues."
However, after six weeks with no sign of the 12-year-old, a $50,000 reward was offered in the hopes of Maria's safe return.
A sheriff addressed the local community in the sixth week since Maria was last seen, urging that assistance from them 'remains helpful in ensuring the case remains in the spotlight,' encouraging people to pledge 'reward money, organiz[e] signage or shar[e] fliers'.
Maria's father, Andres Gomez Alonso, said, as per FOX5 Atlanta: "My hope is that she will return or that she will be returned. I trust God that he will bring my daughter back. If he allows that my daugther is still alive I trust in him that she will come home, and he will bring her home."
And thankfully, yesterday (25 July), Hall County Sheriff's Office released an update revealing Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) investigators had 'safely located and recovered' Maria that very evening.
In a press release shared to Facebook, Hall County Sheriff's Office said the 12-year-old was found 'in another state', but 'is safe and OK'.
Sheriff Couch said: "The tireless work of our CIB, law enforcement partners and the community has resulted in the best possible outcome. Our prayers for Maria’s safe return have been answered."
The release added: "Investigators are working to bring Maria home to Hall County."
It's reported the investigation continues into her disappearance and how the young girl ended up in another state, as well as being missing for nearly two months.
UNILAD has contacted Hall County Sheriff's Office for comment.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office asks for information to be sent to the Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) at 770-503-3232 or [email protected]. You can also call 911 or Hall County Dispatch/Central Communications at 770-536-8812.