More than 40 “critically missing” children, some as young as 18 months, have been rescued by law enforcement and social services in a sweeping operation in North Florida that also spanned several other states.
The children were considered at risk of crimes of violence or faced other elevated risk factors such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, exposure to crime, or domestic violence, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Why It Matters
An estimated 460,000 children are reported missing in the U.S. every year, according to the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which cites data from the FBI and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
A vast majority of missing children—93 percent—are endangered runaways, often facing exploitation, trafficking, and violence within days of their disappearing, according to the National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF). Despite common myths around trafficking, the organization says that less than 1 percent of missing children are abducted by strangers, and children can go missing for many reasons.
What To Know
Operation “Northern Lights,” as it was dubbed, took place between December 1 and December 12 and involved over 80 personnel from 25 different agencies including federal and state attorney’s offices, law enforcement, social services and nonprofits.
Together, they located and rescued 43 missing children over the span of two weeks who were considered at risk of being exposed to crime, sexual exploitation, and substance abuse.
Their goals were to recover these children, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and deter criminal activity related to exploiting their vulnerabilities.
The children, according to the authorities involved, received “immediate” physical and psychological care after being rescued. According to Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Florida Greg Leljedal, the recovered children were aged between one and a half and 17.
They were found across 14 counties across Northern Florida, as well as in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Nine people were arrested and more arrests could follow, as authorities report that some of the children’s recoveries might potentially lead to “additional future charges of human trafficking, child endangerment, and custodial interference.”
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, “an initiative of this magnitude has not been previously undertaken in Northern Florida until this month.”
What People Are Saying
Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Florida Greg Leljedal said in a statement: “This was the most successful missing child operation ever conducted in Northern Florida. Because of the tireless dedication of the U.S. Marshals and our law enforcement partners, 43 endangered children will now be home safe for the holidays.”
Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno said in a statement: “Every child deserves to be safe, and we will continue to use every resource at our disposal to bring missing children home and support their families.”
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said in a statement: “This operation was carried out through a strong partnership between multiple agencies. Our Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit moved quickly, deliberately, and with purpose. No child will be left behind.”
Derrick Driscoll, chief operating officer of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, said in a statement: “Operations like Northern Lights show the importance of coordinated efforts to locate missing children. Each recovery represents a child removed from harm’s way and an opportunity to connect them with resources that can help prevent future victimization.”
What Happens Next
The recovered children were offered immediate medical care and received the help of social services and child advocates.
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