Fla. officials: In ‘largest missing child recovery initiative’ in state history, 163 missing children rescued and recovered
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
6:17 PM – Tuesday, August 25, 2026
In the largest missing child recovery initiative in state history, Florida authorities announced the successful rescue and recovery of 163 missing children through a coordinated global law enforcement sweep known as Operation Statewide Shield.
Spearheaded by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) alongside federal, state, and international law enforcement partners, the intensive, four-and-a-half-day operation targeted missing youth ranging from two months to 17 years old.
State officials confirmed that many of the recovered minors had been subjected to severe trauma, including physical abuse, abandonment, neglect, human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The massive effort deployed real-time intelligence gathering and field search tactics modelled after federal programs like the U.S. Marshals’ Operation Dragon Eye.
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/fla-officials-in-largest-missing-child-recovery-initiative-in-state-history-163-missing-children-rescued-and-recovered/
