Efforts to locate Maria Gomez-Perez, 12, missing for over a month from Hall County, have been met with both support and logistical roadblocks, as community members grapple with the best way to rally attention for her case.
The search drew community-led initiatives, including banners placed in visible areas; on Friday, a banner with the girl's information was placed at the intersection of Jesse Jewell Parkway and Bradford Street in downtown Gainesville, this according to a report by Atlanta News First. Stefan Lebron, who has been closely following the case and leads these efforts, said, "I'm not going to going to give up on her," he said, "I’m going to keep going until we find her," in his willingness to find Gomez-Perez and the persistence that he embodies which echoes a community's shared determination.
However, making the search visible on a larger scale faced a hitch, a proposed place for hanging a five-foot banner was over a pedestrian bridge on Jesse Jewell Parkway yet, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) did not approve this plan, citing safety concerns and suggesting that spreading the message through electronic billboards across the county might be more effective; this was detailed in a piece by WSB-TV. GDOT spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said, "GDOT Traffic Ops Department felt there was a better way to get information regarding Maria Gomez’s disappearance to the motoring public rather than a banner in one location."
Despite these challenges, the banners that could not be raised high overhead now serve as a poignant reminder at street level of the ongoing search for Maria Gomez-Perez. Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon indicated that the girl's image has been on display on six electronic billboards for more than a week, complementing the physical signs dotting the community space from car windows to restaurant fronts, as Maria's father, Andres Gomez, continues to plea for assistance, "Seeing everybody that's coming together, you’re not giving up, thank you so much," he told the crowd, in a moment of shared hope and solidarity, as told to WSB-TV.
Maria Gomez-Perez is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, weighing between 100-110 pounds, with brown eyes and long black hair. The Hall County Sheriff's office urges anyone with information to call (770) 503-3232, (770) 536-8812, or 911, and reminds tipsters that they can remain anonymous by sending information to [email protected]. A $50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to her safe return.
