Test results confirm local teen is not Andrea Gonzalez
By Staff
Melissa Cason
The search for Andrea Gonzalez goes on.
Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said the latest lead in the 14 year-old case of the missing girl turned up nothing, despite spreading gossip and speculation throughout the community.
DNA tests confirmed that a local teen who many compared to Gonzalez is in fact not her.
Plott said the tests were ordered several months ago because of the similarities in Gonzalez's and the girl's physical appearance, and the inability to trace the teen's past through historical documentation.
"There were similarities between Andrea and this girl except the age," Plott said.
Gonzalez would be 20 today, and the teen in question is only 16. Plott said another factor was the girl's emotional state since community members have been comparing her to Gonzalez.
"The test showed this girl is not Andrea and now she can put this behind her," Plott said. "I hope this helps this young person in some way."
Since the test has determined that this particular girl is not Gonzalez, Plott said his department has run out of leads in the case but he has not given up on it.
"This was the first lead that we have had that wasn't just a rumor," Plott said. "This case and other open cases will be pursued by this office as much as possible."
Plott said this case can't be put to rest totally until a body is found because there was a stipulation in Gonzalez's step-mother's sentence stating that if her body is found in any place other than Mon Dye where Kim Gonzalez claimed she was, the case can be re-entered into the court system.
According to court records, Kim and Paul Gonzalez told authorities that the girl died from injuries sustained in the bathtub and they dumped her body in Mon Dye.
However, no body was ever found and authorities still search.
"There are a lot of people, including me, who have lost a lot of sleep over this and some of us still do," Plott said.
He added that he'd love to find Gonzalez alive, but he realizes that is unlikely.
"There is always hopes and prayers that she'll be found alive and healthy but the case at this time indicates that she is dead," Plott said.
