Effort brought together state, local and federal authorities; the children located ranged in age from two months to 17 years old
A major operation led by Florida authorities resulted in the location and recovery of 163 missing children, ranging in age from two months to 17 years old.
Called Operation Statewide Shield, the effort lasted five days and brought together the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, state attorneys’ offices, local authorities, federal agencies and support organizations.
Tampa Bay and Miami had the highest number of cases
The recoveries took place across different regions of Florida. Forty-six children were recovered in the Tampa Bay area, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola and three in Tallahassee.
The operation also extended beyond state lines. Searches reached Alabama, California, Ohio, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Puerto Rico.
Outside the continental United States, efforts extended to 12 countries, including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Children received assistance after being located
Authorities emphasized that the cases identified during the operation involved different circumstances. For that reason, it is not accurate to say that all 163 children were victims of human trafficking.
According to the FDLE, many were in situations involving abuse, neglect, exploitation or exposure to other criminal activity. After being located, those who needed assistance were referred for medical care, social services and other types of specialized support.
Florida organization participated in the operation
The nonprofit organization Place of Hope, which serves vulnerable children and young people in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, also participated in the effort.
The organization worked to support the teams responsible for the recoveries and provided resources such as food, hygiene products and fuel cards.
Jamie Bond Ciancio, vice president of the organization, told WPBF that the goal was to ensure authorities had the resources needed to assist the children during the operation.
Operation brought together different law enforcement agencies
Statewide Shield was coordinated to locate children considered missing or at risk and connect each of them with the services they needed after being recovered.
According to Florida authorities, the operation involved reviewing cases, locating the children and individually assessing the circumstances in which they were found to determine the next steps for their protection and care.
