The U.S. Marshals Service announced the recovery of 32 missing children.

“Operation Homecoming was focused on the safe recovery of missing children from the Akron and Summit County areas. The operation was a joint endeavor between the U.S. Marshals Service, the Akron Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office,” a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service read.

“Over the course of three weeks, from August 19 to September 6, members of the Missing Child Unit worked with Akron police and Summit Sheriff’s Deputies to identify missing and endangered children in their area.  During that time law enforcement was able to safely recover and locate 32 missing children.  The children ranged in age from 13-18 years old,” it added.

“Dedicated work by our Missing Child Unit along with Akron Police and the Sheriff’s Office have made an incredible impact in the safe recovery of these children.  The U.S. Marshals Service will continue to dedicate its time and resources to the safe recovery of missing children in our communities throughout northern Ohio,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said.

From the U.S. Marshals Service:

Some of the missing children were recovered in the Akron area, others in Cleveland, and one child, reported missing by the Akron Police Department in April 2022, was safely located in Washington state. Akron Police Chief Brian Harding added, “The partnership and devoted work by law enforcement in this operation directly led to the safe recovery of the missing child located across the country.”

Law enforcement officers worked closely with Summit County Children’s Services to ensure that resources were available to the children that were recovered, especially those who had been missing for a longer period of time.

News 5 Cleveland noted:

Deputy U.S. Marshal Vinny Piccoli heads up the USMS Missing Child Unit.

He said children have been found in horrible situations.

“Guns, drugs, whatever the case may be, people that they’ve been hanging out with older males, older females, where there’s been trafficking involved, prostitution involved, so we’ve removed kids from situations like that,” said Piccoli.

Law enforcement officers worked closely with Summit County Children Services to ensure that resources were available to the children who were recovered, especially those who had been missing for a longer period.

Akron Police Chief Brian Harding added, “The partnership and devoted work by law enforcement in this operation directly led to the safe recovery of the missing child located across the country.”

 

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