Run away juvenile found in Paulding County

A run away juvenile has been found in Paulding County.

On August 19, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Jackson Comprehensive High School in reference to a female juvenile leaving the school premises without permission. The juvenile, who was observed by a Jackson County Deputy Sheriff School Resource Officer (SRO) conversing with an older male in a gray van earlier in the day, was believed to have willingly left the school property with the male. The driver of the van had been instructed to follow the school procedure and sign in at the front office or leave the school property. The juvenile was escorted to the school’s front office and then left the school premises without permission.

During an investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the male was identified as Thomas Carl Hardy, 35, of Villa Rica, and the student was later located at Hardy’s residence.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office also assisted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office with locating the juvenile runaway and apprehension of Hardy. The juvenile was transported to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville, due to an outstanding Probation Violation. Hardy was charged with Criminal Trespass and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and is currently incarcerated at the Jackson County Jail.