Missing 12-year-old Georgia girl found safe in Ohio, suspect arrested

TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, Ohio — A 12-year-old Georgia girl has been found safe in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, after being missing since May.

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia, safely located and recovered missing 12-year-old Maria Gome-Perez of Georgia.

Antonio Agustin, 34, of Dover, was arrested and booked into the Tuscarawas County Jail for crimes related to the kidnapping of Maria from Georgia.

According to officials, Gomez-Perez disappeared from Hall County in late May and her whereabouts and safety were unknown until now.

On Wednesday July 24th^e Detectives from the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office were contacted by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office to assist with a possible lead on Maria’s whereabouts in the Dover, Ohio area.

According to officials, investigators immediately began conducting surveillance operations Wednesday night and Thursday, using both traditional and technological surveillance techniques.

According to officials, members of the HCSO’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) obtained the IP address of the Facebook page that sent a message to Maria’s father, as well as the phone number associated with the account.

They were able to trace the phone to a home in Dover.

Officials say HCSO believed the information was a reliable lead on Maria’s location and therefore sent four CIB investigators to Tuscarawas County.

According to officials, detectives were able to trace the phone to the Dover City Park area, where they made visual contact with Maria and Agustin.

When the two got into a vehicle and drove to the parking lot of a nearby shopping center, they and members of the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office followed them.

According to authorities, Maria was found at the scene.

Agustin was arrested and taken into custody. He was transported to the Tuscarawas County Jail.