Florida law enforcement officials have recovered more than 160 missing children in a large-scale, multi-agency operation conducted across the state.
The five-day initiative, called Operation Statewide Shield, brought together local, state, and federal agencies with the goal of identifying, locating, and safely recovering missing and vulnerable children.
Authorities said it was Florida’s first statewide child recovery initiative and the largest operation of its kind in the state’s history.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 163 children from locations across Florida, other U.S. states, and several foreign countries.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the results during a press conference on Wednesday, August 25.
Officials said the recovered children ranged in age from just two months old to 17 years old.
Most were found within Florida. Authorities recovered 46 children in the Tampa Bay area, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola, and three in Tallahassee.
Investigators also located missing children in six other U.S. states and one U.S. territory.
The operation extended internationally as well, with children recovered in 12 countries, including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, and Italy.
Authorities said providing immediate medical, psychological, and social support was a major part of the operation.
Officials reported that some of the recovered children had experienced abuse, neglect, exploitation, or exposure to criminal activity while they were missing.
After being located, the children were taken to designated recovery centers where they received trauma-informed care from social workers, child welfare specialists, victim advocates, and healthcare professionals.
Nonprofit organizations and healthcare providers, including BayCare, also assisted with counseling and behavioral health services.
Following initial evaluations and crisis support, the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Department of Juvenile Justice took responsibility for appropriate custody arrangements and continued care.