WASHINGTON, USA – The US Marshals Service (USMS), along with federal, state, and local agencies in seven federal judicial districts and geographical locations across the United States, led a six-week national operation that resulted in finding 200 critically missing children, which includes endangered runaways and those abducted by noncustodial persons.
Operation We Will Find You 2 (OWWFY2), the second-of-its-kind nationwide missing child operation, was conducted from May 20 to June 24 and focused on geographical areas with high clusters of critically missing children. Children who go missing may be in serious danger and can be vulnerable to child sex trafficking, abuse, exploitation, and other crimes against children.
With technical assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), OWWFY2 resulted in the recovery and removal of 123 children from dangerous situations. An additional 77 missing children were located and found to be in safe locations, according to law enforcement or child welfare agencies. Of the 200 children found, 173 were endangered runaways, 25 were considered otherwise missing, one was a family abduction, and one was a non-family abduction. The youngest child recovered was five months old. 14 of the children were found outside the city where they went missing. Additionally, of the missing children recovered, 57 percent were recovered within seven days of the USMS assisting with the case.
“There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities,” said attorney general Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the US 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.”
“One of the most sacred missions of US Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” said USMS director Ronald L. Davis. “This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.”
“Operation We Will Find You is a shining example of the results we can achieve when we unite in our mission to find missing children,” said president and CEO Michelle DeLaune of NCMEC. “We are grateful that vulnerable children have been recovered as part of this operation, and we commend the US Marshals Service and all the agencies involved for their commitment to protect youth and ensure these children are not forgotten. Behind every statistic, there is a child who deserves to grow up safe from harm.”
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