COMMERCE - Jackson County authorities say they think they have a runaway teen on their hands, but family members of a Central Gwinnett High School student say they want more done in the search for the girl.
Galilea Magana was last seen December 19 at Tanger Outlet Mall in Commerce, where she had gone shopping with her mother. The mother told investigators that the girl went to the restroom and never returned.
Jackson County Sheriff's Office Major David Cochran said investigators have been treating the disappearance as a case of a runaway teen.
"Investigators have discovered a note at the home indicating that she had intentions of running away and did not want the police to be called or the family would never see her again," said Cochran.
But the girl's cousin Flor Valencia, who traveled to Georgia from Texas to help with the search, told Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta, that family members are not convinced Galilea is a runaway.
"Just because she's a girl and could have had a boyfriend, it doesn't mean that she ran away," Valencia said.
Cochran said investigators are also looking into online conversations the teen had with a male on an internet dating site. He said investigators are now trying to find that man.
Family members spent Wednesday distributing flyers to the public at the outlet mall where Galilea was last seen on December 19.
Thursday
July 17th, 2025
3:57AM
