A coordinated three-day operation in Westchester County resulted in the location of 43 children and teens who had been reported missing to local police, state officials announced.
The Westchester Missing Child Rescue Operation, which concluded Thursday, brought together more than 70 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations and private partners to provide investigative support to police departments across the county. The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services coordinated the effort in partnership with the state Office of Children and Family Services and the National Child Protection Task Force.
The children and teens ranged in age from 8 to 17 years old when they were reported missing, according to DCJS. Partners worked to explore new leads, review case notes and leverage technology to find children at risk of endangerment, exploitation and harm.
“Every missing child case represents a young person who deserves to be safe, supported and seen,” DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado said. “This operation brought together an extraordinary group of law enforcement, nonprofit and private partners to share information, pursue new leads and connect children with the services they need.”
The operation marks the third of its kind led by DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse staff and the National Child Protection Task Force. An earlier operation in Erie County located 47 children reported missing to police departments in Buffalo and Amherst. A second operation in the Capital Region found 71 children reported missing to police in Albany, Schenectady and Troy.
Statewide, 10,629 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police in 2025, with 94% of them reported as runaways. Police closed 10,672 cases involving children reported missing in 2025 or years prior. At the end of 2025, there were 1,079 active missing children cases across New York State.
The Office of Children and Family Services coordinated with nonprofit organizations and victim assistance programs throughout the downstate region to assist investigations and provide services for recovered children, with the goal of addressing their needs and preventing future missing episodes.,
The operation received support from federal agencies, including the FBI, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and U.S. Marshal Service. Private sector partners, including Meta, Snap Inc., TikTok, Google and Verizon expedited support requests to help law enforcement locate endangered children.