COLUMBUS, OH — The U.S. Marshals Service says it located 79 reported missing children in Ohio during Operation Meridian, a monthlong effort it describes as the largest of its kind in the state.
The children ranged in age from 7 to 17. Federal officials worked with state and local law enforcement during the August operation, which focused on children who were missing in situations involving suspected sex trafficking, abuse, neglect, runaway circumstances and other dangers.
U.S. Marshal Michael Black said the agency uses the same tools it relies on to hunt violent fugitives when it searches for missing and endangered children. Officials said the effort was aimed at finding vulnerable youth and safely reuniting them with families and support systems.
Operation Meridian focused on trafficking, abuse and other risk factors
Officials said the search was not limited to one type of case. Instead, it targeted children whose disappearances involved a range of serious concerns, including physical and emotional abuse, neglect and suspected trafficking.
The Marshals Service said the operation used federal investigative resources alongside local knowledge from police departments and sheriff’s offices. That combination helped authorities locate children across multiple Ohio communities and respond to cases that had been open for months or longer.
In addition to recovery efforts, officials said the teams were working to reduce the danger to children who may have been living in unstable or harmful conditions. The operation also included follow-up support for those found so they could be connected with appropriate services.
Two sisters missing for months were found in separate Ohio locations
One of the most detailed recoveries involved two sisters in a long-term missing child case. The girls, ages 13 and 16, were reported missing in July 2024 and April 2026, according to officials.
During Operation Meridian, authorities found the 13-year-old hidden in a basement crawlspace in the floor of a bedroom closet in Lockbourne. Police said her mother was arrested on a warrant for probation violation.
Investigators later gathered information that helped them locate the 16-year-old girl at a restaurant in Columbus. Officials did not say how long she had been away from contact before she was found.
Toledo case led investigators to a girl previously tied to trafficking allegations
Another recovery centered on a 16-year-old girl reported missing in Toledo. Police said she had previously been identified as a victim of human trafficking.
Authorities tracked the girl and a man she may have been with to an address in Toledo. The girl was evaluated, and the man was interviewed at the scene as police investigated possible criminal activity.
Officials have not publicly identified the man or said whether any charges have been filed in that case. The investigation remained active after the contact, with police continuing to sort out what happened before the girl was located.
Recovered children were connected with medical and psychological help
Officials said the response did not stop once a child was found. Teams worked with support resources to make sure recovered children were given appropriate medical and psychological assistance.
That step, authorities said, was part of treating the operation as both a law enforcement mission and a child safety effort. The goal was to stabilize each case after recovery and make sure children were not simply returned to danger without follow-up care.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said every recovered child represented a life pulled back from danger. He also praised community and media partners who helped keep attention on the search and said the operation succeeded because agencies worked closely together.
Cincinnati police, Hamilton County deputies and others helped the search
Local agencies played a major role in the operation, including Cincinnati police and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Federal officials said those partnerships were essential to locating children across different parts of the state.
Shawn Rice, a special agent in charge, said the effort went beyond waste, fraud and abuse cases and was also about protecting vulnerable children in HUD-assisted housing. He said there would be no sanctuary for people who prey on or endanger children.
The Marshals Service framed the operation as both a recovery mission and a warning to offenders. Officials said they would continue using investigative authority with their law enforcement partners to find missing children and hold those responsible accountable.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
