JUST IN: 79 Missing and Endangered Children Recovered in Historic Ohio Operation
The U.S. Marshals Service says 79 missing and endangered children between the ages of 6 and 17 were recovered during Operation Meridian, a monthlong statewide effort conducted throughout August.
The operation was not limited to one Ohio city. Recoveries and investigations took place across the state, including Columbus, Lockbourne, Toledo, Akron, Cleveland, and surrounding areas. Authorities also followed some cases outside Ohio, including into Georgia.
The children were missing under a wide range of circumstances involving suspected sex trafficking, abuse, neglect, runaways, and other dangerous situations.
In one disturbing case, a 13-year-old girl was found hidden inside a basement crawlspace beneath a bedroom closet floor in Lockbourne. Her 16-year-old sister was located later that same day in Columbus.
Authorities also recovered a 16-year-old girl in Toledo who had previously been identified as a human trafficking victim.
Officials are calling Operation Meridian the largest missing-child recovery operation in Ohio history.
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