COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — When a 17-year-old Harris County girl pulled up the Noonlight app last week, investigators say she was already in grave danger.
“I believe the ping started in College Park. It was the first 911 agency that was notified of location, through Fulton County and then Habersham County,” Coweta County sheriff’s office Sgt. Toby Nix told Channel 2′s Candace McCowan.
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Investigators say the teen met 28-year-old Dalton Ramsey on Snapchat where he agreed to drive her to another state. Soon, they say she found herself bound and later raped at the BT Reservoir in Coweta County, according to deputies.
The teen eventually used her phone, not to call 911, but to pull up the Noonlight safety app.
The app is meant to make it easier to alert authorities when you’re in trouble, according to the developers.
“You launch the app you often put your thumb right on the button, then you walk to your car, you walk across campus,” Brendan Walsh said.
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On the app, you simply hold a button down. When you remove you finger, the app will let you enter a code that notifies the company that you are safe.
Without entering the code, the company will text you, which is what happened with the 17-year-old victim.
“Our victim in this case was able to respond with the word rape. They started pinging her phone and updated 911 depending on which jurisdiction she was in,” Nix said.
And that is how deputies were able to track the girl down.
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Noonlight creators say by allowing the app to track you, they can help.
“The user is saying to Noonlight to monitor me for my own safety,” Walsh said. “I think security, safety, the industry is really picking up traction.”
Investigators say Ramsey was tracked through multiple counties. He is facing charges in both Habersham and Coweta Counties.
“He’s where he needs to be,” Nix said.
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