37 Missing Children From RivCo Safely Recovered During Special Operation: Sheriff

RIVERSIDE, CA — At least 37 of 50 children between the ages of 14 and 17 who were identified as missing have been safely recovered after a week-long joint operation between local and federal authorities, officials said.

"Operation Safe Return" was aimed at locating children who have been missing from one to twenty-four months, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Some of the missing children were located in northern California, Arizona and Nevada, officials said on Monday.

In addition, some of the missing children were the victims of crimes, including sex trafficking and sexual assault.

Seven people were arrested during the operation, including one federal arrest for child sex trafficking conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, officials said.

Each of the recovered children received victim advocacy services, medical support as needed, and additional support before they were reunited with a legal guardian, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) and the United States Marshals Service partnered with multiple agencies throughout Southern California for the operation, as well as federal authorities.

"To accomplish our mission, RCAHT investigators conducted extensive investigations into the whereabouts of each child. When determining a child’s possible location, a multi-disciplinary team consisting of law enforcement and social services responded to the area for his/her recovery, which included locations in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Orange County and Los Angeles County," officials said.

In Riverside County, which has a population of about 2.5 million, an average of 5,000 to 6,000 children run away and/or go missing each year, though most return home shortly after, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

According to Child Find of America, each year about 2 million children are reported missing to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center. It is estimated that about 2,300 children are missing every day in the U.S.

"The success of this operation demonstrates the power of collaboration between law enforcement and community partners in protecting our most vulnerable population: our children," officials added.

Anyone who believes they were a victim of human trafficking in Riverside County is encouraged to contact the Riverside County Sheriff’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Those seeking services can also visit the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking (RCAHT) website.