150 missing kids found in Tennessee by US Marshals and local police

[Elderberry]

American Military News by Liz George March 04, 2021

A collaborative federal and local law enforcement effort in Tennessee resulted in the discovery of 150 missing children aged 3 to 17 between January 4 and February 26, officials announced Wednesday.

A task force headed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) located the missing children during three “sweeps throughout the state” conducted as part of “Operation Volunteer Strong” over the nearly-two month period, according to a press release from TBI.

The operation was a combined effort between TBI, the U.S. Marshals, and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. The operation also resulted in a “number of arrests” in connection with the children.

The situation of each child varied greatly, with cases ranging from children who ran away from difficult situations at home to others who were “dealing with abuse or exploitation,” according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shelly Smitherman.

Four of the children discovered during the operation were found to be potential human trafficking victims, with a fifth identified as “a human trafficking victim, resulting in a still-active investigation by a Mississippi local law enforcement agency and FBI.”

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/03/150-missing-kids-found-in-tennessee-by-us-marshals-and-local-police/