TWINSBURG, Ohio — The Summit County Sheriff's Office has announced that a missing 15-year-old Twinsburg girl, who had last been seen on Feb. 28, has been found unharmed in Chicago.
Maria Maaz-Ba an eighth-grade student at R.B. Chamberlin Middle School in Twinsburg, was reported missing on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at around 2:30 p.m.
According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Maria did not get on the school bus and had last been seen walking towards Ravenna Road in Twinsburg Township.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Twinsburg Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security all followed up on leads regarding Maria's disappearance.
On March 1, investigators revealed that they had received information that Maria may have traveled to the Chicago area.
"Further details will be made available soon," sheriff's deputies stated in its release.
Maria is 4'10, weighs 100 pounds and has long dark hair. She had last been seen wearing a white sweatshirt and blue jeans. The Summit County Sheriff's Office noted that Maria may have been using the name Olivia Tiul Xi, adding she speaks Spanish and very little English.
Twinsburg City School District Superintendent Kathi Powers also sent the following note to families when Maria was first reported missing.
"Around 4 pm this afternoon, RB Chamberlin Middle School administrators were made aware that 8th grader Maria Maaz-Ba had not made it home from school. A review of the school's video cameras confirm that Maria left RBC with her classmates but that she did not board one of our school buses. Upon being informed that Maria had not made it home from school, we contacted both the Summit County Sheriff's Office as well as the Twinsburg Police Department to file reports.
As of this hour, Maria is still not home. Thus, I am sending this email to ask for your assistance. Maria is a Hispanic child who is slight in stature at approximately 4'10", and she weighs approximately 95 pounds. She has long dark brown/black hair.
If you have any information regarding Maria's whereabouts, please contact the Summit County Sheriff's Office at 330.643.2181. We pray that Maria will be safely home very soon. Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer."