Across Georgia

Missing girl found; her stepfather still wanted

PHOENIX --- An 8-year-old Georgia girl who was believed to have been sexually molested and abducted by her mother's husband has been found in Arizona.

Maricopa County sheriff's spokesman Doug Matteson said Saturday that the girl was found in Youngtown about 15 miles northwest of Phoenix on Friday night with her head shaved, possibly to hide her identity.

He said after receiving a tip late Friday, deputies surrounded a Youngtown home, broke down the door, and found the girl with her 1-year-old brother and mother, 26-year-old Casey Petty.

Ms. Petty's husband, Jerry Lee Fagen, 30, was not found. Mr. Matteson said he might be on his way back to Georgia.

Mr. Matteson said one of Ms. Petty's relatives owns the Youngtown home, and that Ms. Petty told deputies she'd been living there for a couple of weeks.

Mr. Fagen is wanted by the Paulding County Sheriff's Office on suspicion of child molestation and sexual battery, according to Cpl. Brandon Gurley, a spokesman for the Georgia agency.

The children are now in the care of Arizona Child Protective Services, which will coordinate with Georgia authorities about what will happen to them.

In other news

SNACK MAKER LANCE Inc. announced Friday a new cracker line and increased candy bar production at its Columbus plant through a $10.5 million expansion expected by late fall. Lance, which employs about 525, will add 70 jobs including machine operators and supervisors.