Search for runaway child leads deputies to restrained 5-year-old inside north Georgia home

Written by: A. Smith

Published January 5, 2026 @ 2:00 PM ET

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – What began as a follow-up visit tied to a runaway juvenile report led Lumpkin County deputies to a separate investigation and the arrests of four adults after authorities said they found a 5-year-old boy being restrained in a way prohibited under Georgia law.

The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went to a home on Iberian Road on Dec. 23, 2025, as part of follow-up work connected to a runaway child report. While at the residence, deputies found a 5-year-old boy who, investigators said, was being restrained in a manner that is not allowed under state law. Officials said several adults living in the home were aware of how the child was being restrained.

Four people were taken into custody and charged, the sheriff’s office said.

Marisol Pena-Acosta, 41, was charged with second-degree cruelty to children, a felony, under a provision alleging criminal negligence that caused a child physical pain or mental pain. Pilar Herrera Hernandez, 74, and Juventino Banuelos, 20, were charged with the same felony count of second-degree cruelty to children for criminal negligence causing physical or mental pain, authorities said.

Pedro Banuelos Herrera, 45, was charged with first-degree cruelty to children, a felony, alleging deprivation of necessary sustenance, according to authorities.

Officials have not publicly described the child’s condition, what form the restraint took, or how long investigators believe it may have been occurring. Authorities also did not say whether the runaway juvenile report that brought deputies to the home involved the 5-year-old or another child. The sheriff’s office has not released additional information about the circumstances inside the home or whether more children were present.

The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services responded to the scene, along with Lumpkin County Fire and EMS and Dawson County Fire and EMS, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff Stacy Jarrard thanked the assisting agencies and said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Authorities said additional information, including any further charges, may be released as investigators continue to review the circumstances of the case.