MARLIN "Lilly" DEAN - 17 yo - Harlem (W of Augusta) GA

The runaway daughter of Columbia County Commissioner Scott Dean has been found.
Marlin "Lilly" Dean, 17, was located in Mexico and is expected to return to her Harlem home next week, Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said in an e-mail.Morris refused to provide details of where and when Marlin was found or whether she was with anyone. The teen was last seen Oct. 19 near Augusta Mall.

The Deans have seven children. Marlin is the oldest of five siblings that Scott and Renee Dean adopted from Guatemala in 2008.A week ago, four children were removed from the Dean's Harlem home by a Division of Family and Children Services caseworker. They were later released to a family member.Morris would not comment on why the children were removed and did not supply the name of the family member to whom they were returned.Dean commented in an e-mail sent to media on Friday that DFCS was called in to assist in the search for Marlin."Since that time, allegations, insinuations and lies were leaked to the media," Dean said in the statement. "These leaks have caused irreparable harm to our family."On Tuesday, Columbia County voters re-elected Dean to the District 4 commission seat, for which he ran unopposed.

***12:24 P.M. Update November 3***

According to Columbia County Sheriff's Office Captain Steve Morris, Marlin “Lilly” Dean has been located in Mexico and her safe return is expected sometime next week. There are no further details to release at this time.

People in the town of Harlem are reacting to news that their former Mayor, and current Columbia County Commissioner, Scott Dean and his family, are part of an investigation being conducted by Georgia's Department of Family and Children's Services. Four of his children were removed from his home on Thursday, and his oldest adopted daughter, Marlin "Lilly" Dean is being sought after she apparently ran away. Tina Terry went to Harlem on Friday and has more on the community's reaction.

In Harlem, Scott Dean, the former Mayor, is a household name.

The Columbia County Commissioner's bed and breakfast, The Red Oak Manor, sits in the center of the town.

Tina Terry, reporting: "In this small town, people who knew the Dean family say he is well respected and they hope this situation ends soon."

David Thomas, Dean family friend: "I hope that girl comes back okay. I pray to God that that girl comes back."

But Friday, the family declined to go on camera about the disappearance of their adopted daughter, Marlin.

Deans wife, Renee, did issue a statement...saying...

"Marlin 'ran away and chooses not to be found.'"

She says she believes the teen is with her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Columbia County Sheriff's Office will only say it is investigating allegations made to Georgia's Department of Family and Children's Services (DFACS) about the Dean family...all while searching for a teenager who many are praying will come back home.

A Columbia County Sheriff's Office spokesman says the investigation won't wrap up until next week.

Friday, DFACS said anyone can make a complaint against a family and it will be investigated. If there are concerns, the agency can place the children in temporary care.

Apparently~ she never came back as expected

The runaway daughter of Columbia County Commissioner Scott Dean apparently posted on her Facebook page Thursday that she was still in Mexico, was safe and wanted to quell rumors about her father.
The message was posted on Marlin "Lilly" Dean's Facebook wall Thursday about 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. It said she missed everyone, especially her sisters, and asked for forgiveness regarding the manner in which she left the area.The message was posted on Marlin "Lilly" Dean's Facebook wall about 5 p.m. EST Thursday. It said she missed everyone, especially her sisters, and asked for forgiveness regarding the manner in which she left the area.On Nov. 2, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said the teen had been found in Mexico, was safe and was expected to return to her Harlem home the following week.Sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris had refused to provide details of where and when Marlin had been found or whether she was with anyone.The 17-year-old was last seen locally Oct. 19 near Augusta Mall.Marlin is the oldest of five siblings from Guatemala who were adopted by Scott and Renee Dean in 2008.On Oct. 27, four children were removed from the Deans' Harlem home by a Division of Family and Children Services caseworker and later released to a family member.Officials have refused to discuss why the children were removed, but Dean issued a statement that DFCS was called in to assist in the search for Marlin.Dean also said that "allegations, insinuations and lies were leaked to the media" that caused "irreparable harm" to his family.Marlin's latest Facebook post apparently addressed those allegations."Please don't believe what they are saying about my dad, cuz ITS NOT TRUE, he is the best daddy i ever had," the post read.A follow-up message read:"Daddy im sorry, like i told you u are the best, let me tell yall he didnt do all those things that the news are saying ... please dont believe bad things hapened to me, and i choose to write this on facebook cuz that way all yall can know."Morris wrote in an e-mail that he was aware of the post but did not want to comment further.For nearly a month, there has been no activity on Marlin's Facebook page.Before Tuesday, the last message posted on her wall was typed in Spanish to her sister, Sindy, on Oct. 22 -- three days after she was reported missing.The message translated as: "Hello Sindy, I'm fine ... take much care and call me when you can or (text me)."On Nov. 2, Columbia County voters re-elected Dean to the District 4 commission seat. He was unopposed in the general election.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2010-11-03/columbia-county-commissioners-daughter-found-mexico

Runaway daughter of Columbia County Commissioner Scott Dean found in Mexico

By Valerie Rowell
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 11:00 AM
Last updated 1:02 PM

The runaway daughter of Columbia County Commissioner Scott Dean has been found.

Marlin “Lilly” Dean, 17, was located in Mexico and is expected to return to her Harlem home next week, Columbia County sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris said today in an e-mail.

Morris refused to provide details of where and when Marlin was found or if she was with anyone.

The teen was last seen Oct. 19 near Augusta Mall.

The Deans have seven children. Marlin is the oldest of five siblings that Scott and Renee Dean adopted from Guatemala in 2008.

A week ago, four children were removed from the Dean’s Harlem home by a Division of Family and Children Services caseworker. They were later released to a family member.

Morris would not comment on why the children were removed and did not supply the name of the family member to whom they were returned.

Dean commented in an e-mail sent to media on Friday that DFCS was called in to assist in the search for Marlin.

“Since that time, allegations, insinuations and lies were leaked to the media,” Dean said in the statement. “These leaks have caused irreparable harm to our family.”

On Tuesday, Columbia County voters re-elected Dean to the District 4 commission seat. He was unopposed in the general election.