Police: Missing girl found, man who took her kills himself

March 13, 2018 - 12:18 PM

SMYRNA, Ga. - Police say a 14-year-old girl who went missing from a Maine foster home has been found safe in Georgia and the man who took her there has killed himself.

Police had been searching for Heavenlee Benjamin for more than a week before finding her Tuesday. Heavenlee went missing from the Readfield foster home late last month.

The Kennebec (KEH'-nuh-bek) Journal reports Maine state police were working with Georgia authorities to charge 35-year-old Robert Gooden with criminal restraint but he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday.

Police say Heavenlee met Gooden online and appears to have left the foster home on her own.

Heavenlee was found Tuesday morning at a home in Smyrna (SMUR'-nah), outside Atlanta. Police say they're continuing to investigate whether other people were involved.

News from © The Associated Press, 2018

More News ...

iN RESPONSE: Readers have their say
Following are emailed reader responses to stories or letters to the editor for the third week of April 2024. They have been edited slightly for readability. Got something you want to add? Send an email to editor Marshall Jones at mjo

Fruit packers near Kelowna fined another $78,000
A fruit packing plant in the Ellison area east of Kelowna was hit with another $78,368 in fines for discharging effluent into a failed septic field. That’s now more than $110,000 in fines since 2022 for the same issue at Sandher Fruit

Manitoba government plans to lift ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is planning to end its ban on homegrown recreational cannabis — a move that would leave Quebec as the only province with such a restriction. "We're just allowing Manitobans to have the same

Kamloops council to expand tax exemptions for new rental builds
Developers have more land to choose from if they want to cut costs on new rental buildings in Kamloops. The City is looking to expand a tax exemption program to span massive swaths of Kamloops in order to encourage development. Previously r

Popular penticton News

New Kamloops homeless drop-in centre, soup kitchen needed within weeks, not months
The City of Kamloops and local non-profit groups expect to replace the services of a drop-in support centre and soup kitchen before winter. That means more than 100 regular clients of The Lo
April 24, 2024 7:00 AM
Salmon Arm pharmacist pays fine for diverting drugs from hospital
A former Salmon Arm pharmacist has to pay a hefty fine for diverting drugs from the local hospital. Earlier this month, Laurent Roy, 59, pleaded guilty to 11 counts under the Pharmacy Operat
April 24, 2024 6:00 PM
Kamloops man accused of snatching two girls, taking them to Vancouver Island
A Kamloops man was arrested within a day after he was accused of abducting two young girls and taking them to Vancouver Island. The incident was reported to Kamloops RCMP on Monday, April 22
April 24, 2024 10:22 AM
'Heartbreaking': Kamloops residents reflect on demolition of decades-old hotel, nightclub
A building with a long and entertaining past has been demolished to make way for new housing developments on Kamloops North Shore, leaving some residents feeling nostalgic. The Northbridge H
April 21, 2024 6:00 PM
Two charged in alleged Kamloops assault and unlawful confinement
One of two people arrested in what police said was a "report involving weapons" has been released on bail. Kamloops RCMP was called to a Tk'emlups home on Kootenay Way last wee
April 23, 2024 7:00 PM

Trending Now

TRENDING NOW: Just a regular guy, and his bear

View Site in: Desktop | Mobile

Police: Missing girl found, man who took her kills himself

Trending Now

Kamloops

Kelowna

Penticton

Vernon