Missing Georgia girl, 17, found safe after four months
Found! Julia Mann, 17, who vanished from Georgia four months ago, was found safe in another state on Tuesday morning
A 17-year-old girl who vanished from her grandparents' home in Georgia in late February was found safe in another state this morning.
The Oconee County Sheriff's Office in Georgia shared the news on its Facebook page on Tuesday, stating that Julia Mann has been located.
'She appears to be safe and local authorities have been notified,' the post read. 'We will not release any further at this time. Please respect her privacy and be respectful to a teenage girl and her family. Thank you for your concern and your assistance in finding Julia.'
Mann vanished between February 20 and 21 while staying at the home of her grandparents in Watkinsville.
Sheriff's investigators said at the time they believed the teen 'left alone and on her own accord.'
Sheriff Scott Berry told the Athens Banner-Herald that he got the news from Mann's father, who was contacted by an out-of-state agency. He declined to say where the teen was found.
'We’re very excited. We’ve seen a picture of her so we know it’s her,' Berry said of Mann. 'We’ve talked to her on the telephone. We know she is safe.'
The sheriff said he does not know what happened to the girl in the intervening four months.
Last glimpse: Mann is seen on surveillance video just hours before her disappearance on February 20
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ShareNeither Mann's mother, Terrie Clark, nor her father, Mitch Mann, have made any public statements concerning Julia's safe return.
Several people connected to the family, including Julia's uncle, have confirmed on Facebook that she has been found.
A $20,000 reward had been offered for information leading to Mann's safe return.
Mann was last seen by her grandfather at around 10pm on February 20 before retiring to bed at her grandparents' home in the area of Rocky Branch Road in Watkinsville.
By the next morning, she was gone, along with her cellphone and laptop.
From the time of her disappearance, Mann's cellphone and social media accounts have been dormant, raising concerns for her well-being.
Her mother, Terrie Clark, described the situation as 'an absolute nightmare' in an interview with NBC's Dateline.
Clark said it is possible that Mann had slipped out of the house to meet a friend, but she does not believe her daughter intended to run away from her family, including her beloved five-year-old sister, Olivia.
A $20,000 reward had been offered for information leading to Mann's safe return
The Oconee County sheriff on Tuesday declined to say where Mann has been located
Clark explained to Dateline that she and the girls were in the process of relocating to her parents' home in Watkinsville, but in order for Mann to start school in town, the teenagers had moved in with the grandparents first.
'She had just registered for senior classes for the next year, was doing really well in school and was making friends,' Clark said. 'She had been organizing her new room and was excited for us to join her. Things were just going really well for her.'
Clark said her daughter is a good student with a keen interest in computer programming.
She noted that the 17-year-old enjoyed playing online role-playing video games, raising concerns that Mann might have met someone on one of those gaming platforms who convinced her to run away from home.
Clark added she is worried that her daughter is being held against her will.
The mother-of-two had been posting regular updates on her Facebook page to keep her daughter's missing person case from being forgotten.
Mann's mother previously said she does not believe her daughter intended to run away from her family, including her beloved five-year-old sister, Olivia (right)
Terrie Clark had been posting regular updates on her Facebook page to keep her daughter's missing person case from being forgotten
Earlier this month, Clark posted a touching message begging her daughter to reach out to her family.
'You are amazing in so many ways, and all of us missing you terribly can’t wait until that incredible moment when we get to see you again, Julia,' she wrote on June 11. 'Just to hear your voice would be the most wonderful thing in the world. We love you so much, Julia. Please call if you can- no questions asked. All that matters is that you are okay.
'You mean everything to us, Julia, and our lives are at a standstill until we at least know you are safe and happy. We cannot wait to smile and laugh together again, and we won’t give up until we find you and know you are okay.'
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