In a massive, multi-agency effort focused on both rescue and comprehensive care, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) successfully located or recovered 122 missing or endangered children as part of a two-week initiative dubbed Operation Home for the Holidays.
The initiative, which spanned Central Florida, saw the USMS leading a diverse task force that included federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners. The recovered youth ranged in age from 23 months to 17 years old and were located across Florida and in nine other states.
Focus on Care and Welfare
Building on the successes of previous operations, Operation Home for the Holidays was meticulously planned for months with a significant emphasis on what happens after a child is found—rapidly providing essential support services.
“What allows our Middle Florida-based child recovery initiatives to stand out is the emphasis placed on what happens after,” said Bill Berger, United States Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. “We know these children will have needs once we find them. It only makes sense to build these operations alongside like-minded partners from across the child welfare space.”
Services provided to the recovered youth included medical care, youth advocacy, juvenile justice coordination, foster care, and child placement. A significant portion of the recovered children received specialized services:
- Health Care Services: 66 youth
- Department of Children and Families: 41 youth
- Department of Juvenile Justice: 29 youth
The operation resulted in immediate, life-changing interventions for several children, including a young pregnant female receiving pre-natal care for the first time, two brothers beginning treatment for substance dependency, and a young man with a significant juvenile justice history finally being provided services related to alleged abuse. The task force even coordinated with Mexican authorities to safely locate a toddler south of the border.
Recovery Across Metropolitan Areas
The children were recovered from various metropolitan areas within the state, highlighting the wide scope of the operation:
- Tampa Bay: 57 recoveries
- Fort Myers: 29 recoveries
- Jacksonville: 22 recoveries
- Orlando: 14 recoveries
Criminal Investigations Underway
In addition to the rescues, the operation generated significant criminal leads. Many of the recovered youth disclosed experiences of various types of abuse and proximity to other criminal activity.
Based on this information, the task force executed six felony arrests for crimes including child neglect, custodial interference, narcotics possession, sexual assault, terroristic threats, and endangerment. The USMS anticipates additional felony arrests as several other criminal investigations predicated upon Operation Home for the Holidays are still pending.
“The United States Marshals Service is proud to stand with our partners across the state of Florida in pursuit of the safety and welfare of our children,” Marshal Berger concluded. “This operation was built based upon the wants and needs of our communities… Welcome Home and Happy Holidays!”
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