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Website launched to help find missing girl
The search for Maria Gomez-Perez is entering its second month. The 12-year-old Gainesville, Georgia girl was reported missing on May 30. A website has been created to assist in the search.
HALL COUNTY, Ga. - The search continues for Maria Gomez-Perez. The 12-year-old Gainesville girl was reported missing on May 30.
According to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, no substantial new leads have been offered in the case.
"At this time, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office still does not know where Maria is. Investigators do, however, remain vigilant in the search for Maria," the sheriff’s office wrote in a statement released Thursday. "Our agency is thankful for the private citizens who have made generous donations to the reward fund for Maria’s safe return."
Sergio Franco lives in the community and started a website to assist in the effort to bring Maria home.
"I live day by day hoping that today will be the day that we get some information about Maria's location," Franco told FOX 5. "One thing that helps me remain hopeful is that I continue to see the community gathering together and pulling all the resources that we can in order to help find her."
Franco says the site has garnered some helpful tips, which are automatically forwarded to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
"We also get about 10 people signing up for search parties every day and that is whenever we are able to get a hint of where Maria might be, and we need to coordinate a search party," he said. We already have a big database of people who will be able to help."
A reward of $50,000 for information leading to the safe return of Maria is still active. The sheriff’s office thanked businesses and private citizens for helping to increase that reward to where it stands today. Investigators say it has helped to spark dozens of additional tips.
Investigators say they have received solid leads in South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Illinois and Maryland.
The sheriff’s office says it remains committed to bringing Maria home safe.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit tip line at 770-503-3232 or by email at intelrequest@hallcounty.org.
Anyone who believes they have seen Maria is asked to call 911 immediately.