By Steve Neavling
The U.S. Marshals Service in Philadelphia rescued 16 missing children during a four-week operation dubbed “Safeguard.”
At least four of the children were connected to child sex trafficking, officials said in a news release.
The multi-agency operation began on Feb. 15.
The children were considered to be “some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases” because they had been victims of abuse or had medical or mental health issues.
“I applaud the exceptional cooperation among our respective agencies in combating this most abhorrent affront to society,” U.S. Marshal Eric Gartner of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Our hope is for a better future for the 16 children we recovered; our resolve remains steadfast in finding other children in peril.”
Over the past five years, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered three-quarters of the missing children it has investigated. Of those, 72% were found within seven days. Since 2015, U.S. Marshals have recovered more than 1,700 missing children.
