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

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.