Florida officials say 163 missing children recovered from U.S., 12 other countries

TAMPA, Fla. (CBS12) — Florida law enforcement agencies recovered 163 missing children during a four-and-a-half-day statewide operation that reached across the U.S. and into 12 other countries, officials announced Monday.

Operation Statewide Shield was Florida’s first statewide child-recovery initiative and the largest such operation in state history, according to Attorney General James Uthmeier and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The children ranged in age from 2 months to 17 years old. Officials said many had experienced abuse, neglect, exploitation or exposure to other criminal activity, including human trafficking.

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said 46 children were recovered through the Tampa Bay region, followed by 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola and three in Tallahassee.

The operation involved investigations and recoveries in Alabama, California, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Puerto Rico and Tennessee, as well as countries including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain and Taiwan.

Officials cautioned that the cases varied and that the 163 children were not all connected to one trafficking organization. Uthmeier said some involved custody disputes, abuse or neglect, foster care situations and runaway children, while others involved trafficking allegations.

“Recovery is just the first day of a child’s case, not the last,” said Rita Peters, special counsel to the attorney general for human trafficking. She said children who leave or are pushed from unsafe homes can become vulnerable to exploitation.

Authorities announced several arrests, including people accused of lewd and lascivious offenses involving minors, interference with child custody and resisting an officer without violence. More arrests are expected as investigations continue.

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After they were recovered, the children were taken to designated hubs for medical care, behavioral-health services, child-welfare support and victim advocacy. BayCare Behavioral Health said seven recovery hubs were created from Pensacola to Miami, including one supported by St. Mary’s Medical Center in Palm Beach County.

FDLE led the operation alongside the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Department of Children and Families, Department of Juvenile Justice, BayCare, More to Life and the Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund. Multiple sheriff’s offices, municipal agencies and federal partners also participated.

Read the full release from the Florida Attorney General’s Office.