Operation Home for the Holidays was headed by the U.S. Marshals Service alongside other federal agencies and local law enforcement.
The FBI and Florida officials announced on Monday that at least 122 missing children were located or recovered across Florida, including some who were reportedly abused. More missing children were also found in nine other states.
The children range in age from 23 months to 17 years old, the agency’s Jacksonville office said in a statement released on X, which was re-posted by FBI Director Kash Patel.
Some of those children had “disclosed experiences relating to various types of abuse and proximity to other criminal activity,” the FBI Jacksonville office said.
Operation Home for the Holidays was headed by the U.S. Marshals Service alongside other federal agencies and local law enforcement, according to FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley in a video.
During a news conference and in a press release issued by the Florida attorney general’s office, officials said that the operation mainly was conducted across Central Florida to locate missing children, including 57 in Tampa, 29 in Fort Meyers, 22 in Jacksonville, and 14 in Orlando. Another 13 children were found in other states and worldwide, officials added.
“Thanks to one of the single largest child-rescue operations in U.S. history, 122 missing children are safe,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement. “This operation highlights the strength and diligence of Florida’s Law Enforcement.
“I am deeply grateful for everyone that made Operation Home for the Holidays a massive success. Many of these kids have been victimized in unspeakable ways. We will prosecute their abusers to the fullest extent of the law.”
His office said that Operation Home for the Holidays primarily was focused on allowing children to gain access to services with the assistance of child welfare officials and victim advocates, according to the press release.
The office is also working to bring felony cases, including sexual battery of a child and custodial interference, the release said.
