No New Leads In Search For Missing Maria Gomez-Perez, 12: GA Sheriff

GAINESVILLE, GA — Thursday marked the fourth week of the disappearance of Maria Gomez-Perez with no success finding the 12-year-old girl who was last seen at her Gainesville home on May 29 and reported missing the following day.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement its officers still do not know where Maria is, but their search for her continues.

A $50,000 reward is being offered for tips that lead authorities to the girl. The growing reward amount sparked numerous tips, but on Thursday the officials said no substantial new leads have been offered in the case.

The sheriff's office said Maria is considered endangered. While authorities said they have received 70 tips, none of them led to Gomez-Perez's location.

Authorities previously said Gomez-Perez was last seen at her home on Westside Drive. She is 5-foot 3-inches tall, weighs between 100 and 110 pounds, and has brown eyes and long black hair. Investigators previously said she was last seen wearing a bright blue shirt.

Tips have been pursued in the case with links to South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Illinois and Maryland. "Those leads did not bring us any closer to finding Maria," the department said.

The FBI, Homeland Security, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, South Carolina Law
Enforcement Division and a number of other agencies have helped in the investigation.

"Again, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing Maria home safe. We
understand the community is frustrated at the lack of answers in Maria’s case," the agency said. "That said, our investigators are not giving up hope, and we ask our community to remain hopeful
with us. We continue to seek key information that will lead us to Maria."

The Special Investigations Unit tip line remains open at 770-503-3232. Send email tips to intelrequest@hallcounty.org. Tips may remain anonymous.

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More than 50 team members of the Criminal Investigations Bureau have been searching for Gomez-Perez, and authorities said most of them have worked double-time since she disappeared. Other departments within the sheriff's office and external agencies have lended their efforts toward the search.

“We are all doing everything within our power to bring Maria home safe and sound,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald said last week. “Make no mistake, the men and women of the sheriff’s office and numerous other agencies have Maria’s image burned into our hearts and minds.”

Interviews have been done with Gomez-Perez's family, believed to be from Guatemala, and school officials among others, authorities said.

A Marine Unit boat has been used to search portions of a lake, drones and K9s have been deployed and door-to-door canvasing has taken place in efforts to locate Gomez-Perez, authorities said.

Investigators are asking for video footage in connection with the case, authorities said.
On Patrol: Live and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have featured Gomez-Perez on their respective online channels.

“We understand that cases like these can leave the community very unsettled, wanting to do anything it can to help. First, it sounds cliché, but remember Maria and the folks working to bring her home in your thoughts and prayers,” Couch said.

“Someone out in the community has that one clue or bit of information that could be the key to breaking this case wide open. I urge anyone who might have information about Maria’s disappearance to reach out to our investigators and share what they have."