Federal and local law enforcement agencies have safely located 79 missing and endangered children across Ohio following a monthlong joint initiative known as "Operation Meridian." Officials announced the results on September 8, labeling the effort the largest missing child operation in the state's history.

Conducted throughout August, the operation targeted cases involving runaways, as well as youth suspected to be victims of sex trafficking, abuse, neglect, and severe endangerment. The children recovered range in age from 6 to 17.

"The United States Marshals Service, through its fugitive task forces, locates and arrests the most violent fugitives in our communities," said U.S. Marshal Michael Black. "Using the same resources and methods, we have the ability to seek and recover missing and endangered children."

The multi-agency crackdown brought together the U.S. Marshals Service, local police departments, county sheriff's offices, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General.

Notable cases highlighted by authorities include:

  • Two Missing Sisters Located: Investigators searching for two sisters—ages 13 and 16, reported missing in separate incidents—found the younger girl hidden inside a basement crawlspace under a bedroom closet floor in Lockbourne, Ohio. The older sister was located later that day at a Columbus restaurant. Their mother was subsequently arrested on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation.

  • Trafficking Victim Rescued: A 16-year-old girl reported missing in Toledo was tracked down after leads spanned across Ohio and Michigan. The teenager, previously identified as a human trafficking victim, was recovered at a Toledo residence and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. A man present at the scene was questioned as local police investigate potential criminal charges.

All 79 youth recovered during the operation are being connected with medical care, counseling, family reunification services, and social support through child welfare organizations.