It has been a week since the search for a missing 12-year-old girl from Hall County began. The efforts to locate her are ongoing.
On May 29, Maria Gomez-Perez disappeared from her residence and hasn’t been spotted ever since.
As the search for the missing girl continued, leaders from 15 churches in Gainesville came together with Channel 2’s Candace McCowan to lend their support. They scoured the area with several K9 searches, even extending their efforts to Lake Lanier.
According to organizer Norma Hernandez, a common sentiment expressed was that Maria’s identity as a young Latina girl made her case less important, with comments like “nobody cares about a little Latino girl” being frequently heard.
Sheriff Gerald Couch of Hall County expressed his gratitude towards the community for their support in a statement released earlier this week.
In his statement, he emphasized the community’s resilience and determination in overcoming challenges that they have faced over the years. He expressed that their main focus is to ensure Maria’s safe return, and they are doing everything possible to achieve this goal. He stated, “We are leaving no stone unturned in our pursuit of a successful outcome.”
On Friday, the sheriff’s office made an announcement that $20,000 is being offered as a reward by anonymous citizens in the disappearance case of Gomez-Perez.
According to him, both the community and law enforcement are putting in their utmost efforts to locate Gomez-Perez.
According to Couch, the investigation team now comprises a total of 70 individuals, including several intelligence analysts. The FBI has contributed a dozen personnel, while Homeland Security has provided six agents, and the GBI has given four agents.
According to the investigators, they have distributed approximately 5,000 flyers and thoroughly examined nearly 70 tips received from the public.
A vigil has been organized by friends and family of the deceased, scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6 p.m, at the Atlanta Road Church of Christ.
