US Marshals find 200 critically missing children in nationwide operation

The U.S. Marshals Service found 200 critically missing children across the nation over a six-week operation, the federal agency announced on Monday.

The nationwide effort called "Operation We Will Find You 2" was carried out from May 20 to June 24 in areas with high clusters of critically missing children, the USMS said.

The USMS located and removed 123 children from dangerous situations, and an additional 77 children were found in safe locations. Endangered runaways made up 177 of the 200 children recovered. There were 25 children who were considered otherwise missing, one who was a family abduction and one who was a non-family abduction.

"These missing children [at risk of endangerment] 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 USMS said in a release. "In addition, other children who had been reported missing were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure they were safe and to confirm the child’s location."

The USMS said 14 of the children recovered were found outside of the city where they went missing. More than half of the children recovered (57%) were found within seven days of the USMS assisting with the case.

The youngest child recovered was 5 months old.

“There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked to find 200 critically missing children during this six-week operation, and who work every day to keep children safe.”

The operation involved federal, state and local agencies in seven federal judicial districts and geographical locations, along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children providing technical assistance. It was conducted from the District of Arizona, the Eastern District of California, the Southern District of Florida, the Western District of Michigan, the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the District of Oregon.

“One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service, is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” U.S. 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.”

Operation We Will Find You 2 was the second of its kind. The first operation was carried out in 2023 and led to the recovery or safe location of 225 endangered missing children.

The USMS said the goal of the latest operation was "to highlight partnerships amongst government and non-government agencies to develop a multi-disciplinary team whose focus was to pull together resources to find critically missing children and to bring more attention to the epidemic of missing children in America."