Reward increased to $20,000 for missing Oconee County teen
OCONEE, COUNTY, Ga. - It's been two weeks since Terrie Clark has seen her 17-year-old daughter, Julia Mann. The Oconee County Sheriff's Office said this situation is reaching a grave level because the teen has never been away from home for this many days with zero contact.
"She means everything to us," said Clark. "We have to get her home. I can't believe any of this is real," she said.
The mother said the family just moved to Oconee County a few weeks prior to Mann's disappearance.
MORE: Reward for missing Oconee County teen raised to $10,000
"I'm just really concerned that she trusted the wrong person," said Clark. "I don't think she would've left and not come back...Something is wrong. Something is really, really wrong," she said.
The Oconee County Sheriff's Office said the 5'3", the 100-pound teen was at her grandparent's house in the Rowan Oak subdivision on February 20.
MORE: Deputies continue search for Georgia teen who hasn't been seen for 13 days
"He woke up on the morning of the 21st and she was not in the house," said Chief Deputy Lee Weems of the Oconee County Sheriff's Office. "That's when he called the Sheriff's Office and reported her missing," said Weems.
The only sign she left was a footprint in the mud outside the home. "The level of danger here is grave," said Weems. "This is a 17-year-old girl who left home with no resources to speak of," he said.
The GBI, FBI, and the Georgia State Patrol have been searching with helicopters and across state lines, but they've found nothing.
MORE: Sheriff searching for missing Oconee County teenager
"There has been no sign of her anywhere, no digital footprint or anything, she's vanished," said Weems.
Clark said she just prays her daughter, who may have been wearing this black coat when she left the house, is somewhere safe and warm.
"I know it can be hard to come back after something like this, and I just want her to know we aren't upset with her she's not in trouble," said Clark.
The community has now raised a $20,000 reward for any information that brings Julia home safely. Much of this money has been raised by local citizens. Those wishing to contribute may contact Sheriff Berry at berry@oconeesheriff.org and include your pledge amount.
Anyone with pertinent information as to her location is asked to call 706-769-3945 or to contact Investigator Sanders at gsanders@oconeesheriff.org.
You can also call in a nameless tip to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.