GAINESVILLE, Ga. — As the search for 12-year-old Maria Gomez-Perez continues, her community isn't giving up.
"Today is 31 days of us missing our beautiful Maria," Norma Hernandez said holding up one of thousands of flyers distributed in the last four weeks. "Every day, we’re getting sadder, but not losing hope."
Maria went missing May 29. The Hall County Sheriff's Office said she was last seen by her home on Westside Drive off Pearl Nix Parkway around 10 a.m. Weeks later her face is almost everywhere you turn.
"We are still waiting. We are still waiting. Our hearts are still with her, and our town is still with her," Hernandez said.
Gomez-Perez isn’t here, but her community is trying to keep her spirit close. Family-owned grocery stores and restaurants have flyers and signs for their customers to see.
"We're just trying to help and keep knowledge of her," Oscar Carillo said.
He and his family own Carrillo's and put up signs throughout the building. When regulars come in and see them still hung up, the news she hasn't been found is hard to process.
"It really makes you feel emotional when customers that you know on a daily basis come in here and ask you for her, and you can't say anything. It's just the same thing as yesterday, we don't know anything," Carrillo said.
Investigators with the sheriff's office, FBI and other agencies across the country are looking at every lead, but nothing has led to the 12-year-old.
"I have two younger sisters. I can't imagine. I can't, it's just sad," Kelly Mejia said.
She and her family own Gorditas y Burros. The restaurant has a sign up at the cash register and signs in the entrance window.
"It just makes us feel as one. The more people talk about it, the more we unite, the better it becomes. We can find her. I first heard about it from the cooks honestly asking if we had heard she was missing. Then I started seeing the TikToks and pictures of her all over social media," Mejia said.
That's why the Gainesville community keeps working together. They wake up thinking about her, hoping one day they'll check and see she's been found. Those who keep in regular contact with her dad, Andres, know it's been hard on him, too.
"He’s sad. He’s very sad still, but he’s hanging in there. I talk to him regularly, and he knows they're doing everything possible to find her," Hernandez said.
The search to find her isn’t easy, but they won’t lose hope. Hernandez said she'll keep working as long as the community wants to keep spreading the word and Maria's face.
"I am answering every call still no matter what time it is because one of those calls, I'm hoping that it’s Maria calling to tell me she wants me to pick her up somewhere," Hernandez said.
The latest update from the sheriff highlighted that nothing significant has changed in their search, but they have investigated leads in South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Illinois and Maryland. None were successful, but they're asking everyone to stay hopeful.
Deputies say people should continue submitting any tips that could lead them to her. The $50,000 reward is still active and will be given to anyone who has information that leads to her safe return.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) tip line remains open at 770-503-3232. Email tips may be sent to intelrequest@hallcounty.org. Of course, 911 is always open for communication. Any tips may remain anonymous.