Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies located 79 children reported missing and endangered across Ohio during a monthlong operation that officials described as the largest missing-child operation in the state’s history.
The U.S. Marshals Service announced the results of Operation Meridian on September 8 after investigators spent August working cases involving children ages 6 to 17. The effort brought together law enforcement agencies from across Ohio and included federal partners as investigators followed leads both inside and outside the state.
The children had been reported missing under a range of circumstances, including suspected human trafficking, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, running away and other forms of endangerment. Some investigations extended beyond Ohio, with authorities following leads as far away as Georgia.
Two Ohio Sisters Found in Separate Locations
One of the cases involved two sisters, ages 13 and 16, who had been missing since July 2024 and April 2026.
Investigators working with Columbus police located the younger girl concealed in a basement crawlspace beneath the floor of a bedroom closet at a home on Hibbs Road in Lockbourne. Their investigation also led to the arrest of the girls’ mother on an outstanding Franklin County probation-violation warrant.
Information developed during that recovery helped authorities locate the 16-year-old later that day at a restaurant on Harrisburg Pike in Columbus.
Missing Teen Recovered in Toledo
Another case involved a 16-year-old girl who had previously been reported as a potential victim of human trafficking.
The girl was reported missing to Toledo police on August 18. Investigators from the U.S. Marshals-led SPEAR Unit and Toledo Police followed leads in the Toledo area and into Michigan before identifying an adult man who was believed to be with her.
Authorities eventually located the girl and the man on Woodward Avenue in Toledo. The teenager received medical care and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The adult man was interviewed, while local authorities continued investigating possible criminal activity.
Children Connected With Support Services
Finding the children was only one part of the operation. After they were recovered, law enforcement worked with Children and Family Services to connect them with medical, psychological and social service agencies.
Officials said those services can include trauma-informed counseling, family reunification assistance and longer-term case management, depending on the child’s circumstances.
The operation involved numerous agencies across Ohio, including police departments and sheriff’s offices in communities such as Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo, along with federal partners.
The U.S. Marshals Service also said Amanda Berry, who was abducted in Cleveland and held captive for nearly a decade before escaping in 2013, spoke with investigators before the operation. According to U.S. Marshals officials, she encouraged them to treat every missing child as they would their own.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott credited the participating law enforcement, community and media partners for helping bring vulnerable children to safety.
“Every recovered child represents a life pulled back from danger,” Elliott said.
Operation Meridian concluded after investigators located 79 reported missing children across Ohio. Officials said the recovered children were connected with appropriate support services as authorities continued addressing the circumstances that led to their disappearances.
