TAMPA, Fla. – Since 2015, the U.S. Marshals have been committed to recovering critically missing children.
This recent operation involved a coordinated effort with local law enforcement from Tampa, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County and St. Petersburg. It also extended to Jacksonville, Orlando and Fort Myers.
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The goal: Find children in dangerous situations and bring them to safety.
Big picture view:
FOX 13 spent two days with the team in Pinellas County, led by U.S. Deputy Marshal Scott Anthony. The team was focused on finding a 15-year-old girl who had gone missing over the weekend.
Thanks to quick action and collaboration with sheriff’s detectives, she was safely recovered and taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she received necessary resources and support.
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Dig deeper:
The operation revealed the harsh realities faced by many of these children, including cases of trafficking, abuse, and neglect.
The story of Maya, a 15-year-old from the East Coast of Florida, exemplifies these challenges. Previously trafficked by older men in St. Pete, Maya had fled from a hospital, making her recovery even more urgent. Although not found during the initial search, leads from the day led to her safe recovery later that night.
The operation is driven by the compassion and dedication of those involved. Mario Price, the senior inspector of the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, emphasized the importance of finding these children to prevent tragic outcomes.
The recovery of a teenage boy living in deplorable conditions in Fort Myers further highlighted the impact of the mission. The task force said many of the children they’re looking for during this operation are repeat runaways.
“Maybe it’s the third time they’ve run away, but it’s still a child, and we are still citizens in the state of Florida, and that’s our responsibility to them is to give them a safe environment to grow up in,” said Meaghan Palumbo, the assistant special agent in charge in Tampa for FDLE.
More than 40 of the children recovered in these two weeks are in the foster care system and find themselves running from something or towards something, but often into more dangerous situations.
What’s next:
After each recovery, a team of non-law enforcement agencies steps in to provide essential services, including clothing, shelter, food and counseling. This holistic approach aims to change lives and prevent future runaways.
The operation successfully recovered 122 children, underscoring the urgent need to protect Florida’s vulnerable youth. As Mario Price noted, the consequences of not finding these children can be dire, with some cases ending in tragedy.
“We’ve had children die in Florida just this year.” He said.
Six arrests were made as part of the operation.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered during a ride-along and interviews with officials from U.S. Marshals and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.