Major Child Recovery Operation Concludes
In December, a significant law enforcement initiative known as Operation Northern Lights resulted in the safe recovery of 43 missing children across 14 counties in North Florida.
The extensive operation mobilized over 80 personnel from 25 different agencies, focusing on locating youth considered at critical risk due to potential violence, substance abuse, or exploitation. The children involved ranged in age from 1 to 17 years old.
While primarily targeting North Florida, the operation's reach extended beyond state borders, successfully locating children in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana as well.
Among those found was a 13-year-old from Suwannee County, who was located in Jacksonville after being missing for eight months.
During the two-week effort, authorities made 9 arrests related to the operation.
Greg Leljedal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Florida, stated, “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.”
Since the passage of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act in 2015, the U.S. Marshals Service has significantly strengthened its ability to assist in recovering missing children, having located or recovered more than 3,967 children to date.
