Law enforcement officers located and recovered dozens of missing children in an operation that concluded this month, as announced on Sept. 9.
The U.S. Marshals Service’s Missing Child Unit collaborated with Akron Police Department officers and Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies for Operation Homecoming. This initiative aimed to locate missing children in Akron and Summit, Ohio.
Over a three-week period starting on Aug. 19, the law enforcement team successfully located and recovered 32 missing children.
“The dedicated efforts of our Missing Child Unit, along with Akron Police and the Sheriff’s Office, have had a remarkable impact on the safe recovery of these children,” stated Pete Marshal, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio.
“The U.S. Marshals Service remains committed to dedicating its resources to the safe recovery of missing children in our communities across northern Ohio.”
Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree commended the teamwork involved, stating, “I’m proud of the exceptional work by my team and our partner agencies in this crucial operation. Collaboration strengthens us and enables us to better serve and protect our community.”
Many of the missing children were located in Akron or Cleveland, with one child reported missing from Akron in 2022 being found in Washington state.
“The partnership and dedicated efforts of law enforcement in this operation directly led to the safe recovery of the missing child located across the country,” remarked Akron Police Chief Brian Harding.
The recovered children were provided with support from the Summit County Children’s Services.
Under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, the U.S. Marshals have the authority to assist other law enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing children upon request.
The U.S. Marshals Service regularly collaborates with various agencies to locate missing children. In May 2023, the service reported working with multiple agencies to locate and recover 225 missing children, including some who were victims of abduction.
The U.S. Marshals were first appointed by President George Washington in 1789 and are part of the U.S. Department of Justice.
