In a monumental six-week effort, the United States Marshals Service, in collaboration with various federal, state, and local agencies, successfully recovered 200 critically missing children across the nation. This initiative, dubbed “Operation We Will Find You 2,” ran from May 20 to June 24 and spanned multiple states and federal judicial districts.
The US Department of Justice revealed that the youngest child rescued was just 5 months old. The children recovered included endangered runaways and those abducted by non-custodial parents, reflecting the broad scope of the operation. These children were considered to be at an increased risk of danger if not found promptly.
“One of the most sacred missions of US Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis said. “This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.
According to the Justice Department’s news release “These missing children were considered some of the most challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions.”
The operation spanned a wide geographic area, including Portland and Eugene in Oregon, various counties in South Florida, New York City, and parts of Michigan. Federal authorities collaborated closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to enhance their efforts.
Of the children found, 173 were identified as endangered runaways, 25 were categorized as otherwise missing, one was a victim of family abduction, and another was a non-family abduction.
Notably, 14 children were located outside the cities where they initially went missing, demonstrating the reach orchestrated for the nationwide effort. Furthermore, 57% of the children were located within a week of the US Marshals Service stepping in to assist with their cases.
The success of Operation We Will Find You 2 underscores the critical role the US Marshals Service and its partners play in addressing one of the most pressing issues facing vulnerable children in the United States.
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