Authorities rescue 200 missing children across the country

The Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that the Marshals Service, along with federal, state and local agencies in seven federal judicial districts and geographic locations across the country, led a six-week nationwide operation that resulted in the discovery of 200 missing children, including endangered runaways and non-custodial abductees.

"Operation We Will Find You 2, the second nationwide operation of its kind to assist missing children, was conducted from May 20 to June 24 and focused on geographical areas with large concentrations of critically missing children. Children who go missing may be in serious danger and can be vulnerable to child sex trafficking, abuse, exploitation, and other crimes against children" DOJ said in a statement posted on its official website.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland thanked authorities for the work and maintained that "there are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families and their communities."

In that regard, the DOJ detailed that of the 200 children found, 173 were endangered runaways, 25 were considered missing, one was a family abduction and one was a non-family abduction. The youngest child recovered was five months old. Similarly, it was learned that at least 14 of them were found outside the city where they went missing.

The department recalled that "The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the USMS’ authority to assist law enforcement with recovering endangered missing children, regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved."