A combination of modern technology and strong interagency relationships helped authorities safely recover a missing 12-year-old Habersham County girl last week, according to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
The girl was reported missing from the Mt. Airy area on Thursday, May 21. During an onsite investigation and area search, deputies determined the juvenile had left with an individual in a vehicle that was possibly headed toward the Georgia coast.
Investigators obtained license plate information for the vehicle and entered it into the Flock Safety license plate reader system while also utilizing cell phone ping data in an effort to locate the pair.
According to the sheriff’s office, both the vehicle and the cell phone later pinged in the same area of eastern Florida near Daytona Beach.
Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Justin Williams then contacted a counterpart with the Daytona Beach Police Department — a relationship formed through the annual Police Unity Tour.
Williams provided Daytona Beach officers with the vehicle description, direction of travel, and the vehicle’s last known location.
“Within 15 minutes, they had the vehicle stopped and had confirmed that the female was safe and the driver was in custody,” Williams said.
The Police Unity Tour is an annual 300-mile bicycle ride from Norfolk, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., honoring fallen law enforcement officers. The ride concludes at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Sheriff Robin Krockum said the incident demonstrated the intended purpose of the Flock Safety system.
“This is what Flock Safety is designed for,” Krockum said. “Flock LPR cameras only capture vehicle data and do not collect personal information, facial recognition, or anything tied to individuals. But today a 12-year-old is back safe with her family thanks to our ability to access vehicle information through that system.”
Authorities identified the suspect as Tyler Williamson. He is currently charged with interstate interference with custody. Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are possible.
