Focus

‘Not Forgotten,’ 26 Missing Children Recovered in U.S. Marshal Operation

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

In 2018, the NationService, the U.S. Mar al Newspaper Pubshals Service Missing lishers Association Child Unit’s “Oper (NNPA) launched a ation Not Forgotten” series on the plight of resulted in the res missing children of col cue of 26 children in or – focusing primarGeorgia, the safe lo ily on missing Black cation of 13 children girls. The series, which and the arrest of nine continues with regular criminal associates. updates, included the The U.S. Marshals development of part Service did not identi nerships with several fy the rescued children, organizations that focus but because of their on educating the public action, the children are about missing children safe, and their families across the U.S. are relieved.

According to “These were some a news release from of the most at-risk and the U.S. Marshals challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of highrisk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions,” offi cials noted in the news release.

The operation was completed in conjunc tion with the U.S. Marshals’ Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, along with Georgia state and local agencies.

Investigators filed 26 arrest warrants and additional charges for allegations including sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations, drugs and weapons pos session and custodial interference.

“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully commit ted to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recov ering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission,” Donald Washington, di rector of the U.S. Marshals Service, stated in the release.

“The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you.”

In 2019, the USMS helped locate 295 miss ing children after requests for assistance from law enforcement and contributed to the recovery of a missing child in 75 percent of cases received. The news released noted that, of the missing children recovered, 66 percent were recovered within seven days of the USMS assisting with the case.

“When we track down fugitives, it’s a good feeling to know that we’re putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of ac complishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child,” Darby Kirby, Chief of the Missing Child Unit, added in the news re lease.

“It’s hard to put into words what we feel when we rescue a miss ing child, but I can tell you that this operation has impacted every sin gle one of us out here. We are working to pro tect them and get them the help they need.”