Governor Hochul Announces 34 Missing Children and Teens Located Through Long Island Rescue Operation

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that 34 children and teens reported missing to police in Nassau and Suffolk counties and to the NYPD have been located through the Long Island Missing Child Rescue Operation. Co-led by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse, the Office of Children and Family Services and the National Child Protection Task Force, with support from the New York State Police, the three-day operation brought together more than 100 professionals from nearly 40 agencies and organizations to locate vulnerable young people and connect them with care and support.

"Every missing child deserves our full attention, and every family deserves answers," Governor Hochul said. "This operation brought together the expertise and resources needed to find vulnerable young people and help protect them from exploitation and harm. Our commitment does not end when a child is located. We must also help them get the care, support and stability they need to stay safe."

The operation, which concluded Thursday, followed months of planning and coordination among participating partners. Working from a centralized command center in Garden City, investigators reviewed case information, pursued new leads, shared intelligence and used technology to support missing-child investigations across both counties. The children and teens located ranged in age from 7 to 18 when they were reported missing. Investigating agencies continue to pursue additional cases.

Throughout the operation, law enforcement worked alongside social workers, advocates and community organizations to understand the circumstances surrounding each child's disappearance and identify their needs after being located. Support included safe placement options, medical care, counseling, transportation, clothing, food and other essentials, tailored to each young person's circumstances. Medical examinations and forensic interviews were provided when applicable.

These efforts extended beyond locating children to address the conditions that may have contributed to their disappearance and connect them with people and services that can help protect them from further harm.

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, "Children at risk need the full strength of a community behind them. This operation brought investigators, social workers and advocates together, each contributing expertise that helped find missing young people and connect them with support. That is the power of collaboration."

New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, "I am so proud of OCFS's partnership with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the National Child Protection Task Force to facilitate our state's fourth successful Missing Child Operation (MCO). I am also grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul for her ongoing support for vulnerable young people who need our compassion and assistance as they face complex challenges such as human trafficking and homelessness. The Missing Child Operation is unique in that it is much more than a targeted law enforcement operation. The goal is to offer a different type of intervention so that youth will be met with safety, choice and options. OCFS's aim is to reduce future missing episodes by helping youth understand the resources available to them and by supporting our partners in offering different responses to youth."

National Child Protection Task Force Chief Executive Officer Kevin Branzetti said, "Not every case ends with a dramatic rescue, a door being kicked in, and a child being carried to safety. The reality is that finding a child quickly - hopefully before something bad happens - often takes a coordinated effort. But finding them is only the first step. We need to listen and understand why they left, what they experienced while they were gone, and most importantly, what we can do to help. That is why we believe so strongly in our Find-Listen-Help model. Ultimately, we want to give these kids a chance to have the safechildhood they deserve - the childhood so many of us were fortunate enough to have."

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, "Locating a missing child requires persistence, coordination and a shared commitment across law enforcement and our community partners. The New York State Police is proud to support this operation and work alongside agencies and organizations throughout Long Island to help locate these vulnerable children and connect them with the resources and support they need. Every child safely located is a reminder of what can be accomplished when we work together."

The Office of Children and Family Services coordinated with local service providers and child advocacy organizations to support children and teens located during the operation. These partners will continue to provide short- and long-term support based on each young person's needs, extending the coordinated response beyond the conclusion of the operation.

This is the fourth missing child rescue operation of its kind in New York State. Previous operations in Erie County, the Capital Region and Westchester County resulted in the location of 168 children and teens reported missing to participating police departments.

A total of 10,629 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police across New York State in 2025, with 94 percent reported as runaways. During that year, police closed 10,672 cases involving children reported missing in 2025 or earlier years. At the end of 2025, there were 1,079 active missing children cases statewide.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said, "Children are among our most vulnerable populations and can be especially at risk when missing. This multi-day operation allowed us to pool our resources and work alongside our law enforcement partners to focus on finding these young people and bringing them home safely. I want to thank our Criminal Intelligence Section, Human Trafficking Investigations Unit and our analysts for their hard work and dedication throughout this operation."

EAC Network Chief Operating Officer Tania Peterson Chandler said, "EAC Network was proud to participate in the Missing Child Rescue Operation through our Nassau and Suffolk Child Advocacy Centers and Safe Harbour programs. The multidisciplinary approach is at the heart of the Child Advocacy Center model, bringing law enforcement, child welfare, medical professionals, and victim advocates together. Protecting vulnerable young people takes all of us, and we are honored to have been part of this effort."

Participating Agencies and Organizations

Participating agencies and organizations contributed personnel, investigative expertise, technology, services and other resources to the Long Island Missing Child Rescue Operation.

Local law enforcement partners:

• Nassau County Police Department
• New York City Police Department Missing Persons Squad
• Suffolk County Police Department

New York State partners:

• New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse
• New York State Crime Analysis Center Network
• New York State Office of Children and Family Services
• New York State Police
• New York State Intelligence Center
• New York State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

Additional law enforcement, prosecution, probation and crime analysis partners:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Brooklyn District Attorney's Office
• Glens Falls Police Department
• Nassau County District Attorney's Office
• Nassau County Probation Department
• Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey
• Queens County District Attorney's Office
• Springdale Police Department, Arkansas
• Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
• Suffolk County Probation Department

Community organizations, child advocacy centers, social service agencies and victim assistance partners:

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• New York City Administration for Children's Services
• Allied Foundation
• Baby2Baby
• Child Advocacy Center of Nassau County
• Child Advocacy Center of Suffolk County
• New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
• EAC Network
• Hope For Youth
• KeyBridge Smiles
• Nassau County Department of Social Services
• Nassau Haven/Family & Children's Association
• Queens Child Advocacy Center/Safe Horizon
• Rising Ground
• Suffolk County Department of Social Services
• Suffolk Safe Harbour

About the National Child Protection Task Force

The National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF) is a nonprofit organization creating better outcomes for missing, exploited, and trafficked children. NCPTF works alongside law enforcement agencies nationwide, bringing specialized intelligence, advanced technology, private-sector resources, and coordinated investigative support to urgent and complex missing-child cases.

NCPTF's work is grounded in the understanding that finding a child is critical, but recovery alone does not resolve the circumstances that placed them at risk. Through rapid case assistance and multi-agency Missing Child Rescue Operations, NCPTF helps communities locate endangered children, understand the factors surrounding their disappearance, identify patterns of risk, and strengthen coordination among law enforcement, child welfare, social service, and community partners. By improving both recovery efforts and what happens after a child is found, NCPTF helps communities create better opportunities for safety and stability over time.

For more information, visit ncptf.org.

Missing Child Rescue Operations are supported nationally by the Tim Tebow Foundation, The Jensen Project and Answer the Call, with additional financial support from Snap Inc., Verizon, Target, WhoIsXML API, Market Rebellion, netGenius, and Thomson Reuters.

Verizon Frontline deployed alongside NCPTF, providing mission-critical communications capabilities for the operation's command center. Verizon supports NCPTF's Missing Child Rescue Operations nationally.