A Georgia teenager who vanished more than a year ago has been found safe in another state, bringing relief to her family after months of uncertainty.
Seventeen-year-old Asata Amun had been missing since February 1, last year, when a doorbell camera captured her fleeing her home in Gwinnett County with no shoes on. Since then, her whereabouts remained unknown—until a sharp-eyed case manager in Tennessee uncovered the truth.
A Caseworker’s Discovery
Authorities revealed that Asata had been in the custody of Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services for almost the entire time she was missing. However, workers there were unaware of her true identity until a case manager noticed inconsistencies in her personal history. Concerned by the discrepancies, the worker began researching missing children in Georgia and soon realized who Asata really was.
That’s when Tennessee officials reached out to Gwinnett County Police, confirming that the missing teen had been located.
A Mother’s Shock and Relief
For Asata’s mother, Jasmine Dominique, who lives in Connecticut, the news was nothing short of stunning.
“I dropped the phone when I heard it. I couldn’t believe it,” she told Channel 2’s Tom Jones in an exclusive interview.
Dominique had been living with the painful uncertainty of her daughter’s safety for over a year. She said Asata told her she endured hardships after running away, surviving on the streets of Atlanta before someone helped her get on a bus to Tennessee.
“She was in Atlanta when she left, and she slept in the street until someone kind of helped her and got her on a bus to go where she needed to go to feel safe,” Dominique explained.
A Troubled Past at Home
The circumstances leading to Asata’s disappearance were complicated. Her father, who had custody of her and her sisters in Georgia, had previously told reporters he threatened to send Asata to military school due to behavioral issues—a move that may have prompted her to run away.
Following Asata’s disappearance, Georgia’s Department of Family and Children’s Services removed her two sisters from the home after allegations surfaced that their father physically abused them. Asata had also previously made complaints of abuse, but her father has denied the accusations.
Authorities even conducted searches of the family home last year, hoping to find clues about Asata’s whereabouts.
What’s Next for Asata?
Police say arrangements have been made to return Asata to children’s services in Georgia. Meanwhile, her mother remains hopeful for a reunion after more than a year apart.
“I guess she had it in her mind that where she is going will be safer for her,” Dominique said, acknowledging her daughter’s decision to flee.
Jones reached out to Asata’s father for comment, but he has not yet responded.
For now, the priority remains ensuring Asata’s safety and well-being as she transitions back into Georgia’s care system—and possibly, back into the arms of her waiting mother.