Authorities Warn After 13-Year-Old Lured by Online Georgia Predator

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Valdosta police are urging parents and guardians to remain vigilant after a 13-year-old girl from Mobile County, Alabama, was lured to a Georgia home by a 44-year-old man posing as a teenager online.

The girl was reported missing on Monday after being seen entering a vehicle. By Thursday, officers located her at a residence on the 900 block of Pine Cone Circle, where authorities say the man, Scott Daniel Davis, 44, had kept her hidden in a tent on his property. Police report that he misrepresented his age online and convinced the teen she was in a relationship with him, ultimately engaging in inappropriate sexual contact.

“This case is extremely disturbing,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “It highlights the dangers children face online and the need for constant supervision and communication between parents and children about online activity.”

Davis was arrested and faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, and interstate interference with child custody. Officers executed a search warrant at his home, seizing electronics and firearms for investigation.

Authorities emphasized the importance of recognizing the signs of online grooming and reporting suspicious interactions immediately. The teen has been safely reunited with her mother, and investigators are working with multiple agencies, including the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Child Advocacy Center, to support the family.

Police urge parents to regularly monitor children’s social media accounts, maintain open communication, and educate them about the risks of interacting with strangers online.