Operation Meridian became the largest missing-child operation in Ohio history, with recovered children ranging in age from 6 to 17.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Federal, state and local authorities located 79 children reported missing and endangered during a monthlong operation across Ohio, the U.S. Marshals Service announced Tuesday, calling the effort the largest missing-child operation in the state’s history.
Operation Meridian ran throughout August and focused on children ages 6 to 17 who had been reported missing under a wide range of circumstances. The U.S. Marshals Service said cases included suspected sex trafficking, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, children who had run away and other forms of endangerment. Investigators worked across jurisdictional lines and followed leads beyond Ohio, locating children as far away as Georgia.
The operation brought together the U.S. Marshals Service with police departments, sheriff’s offices and federal and state agencies across Ohio. Participating agencies included police in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, Akron and Youngstown, along with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Authorities said the coordinated approach allowed investigators to share information and pursue cases that crossed city, county and state boundaries.
One of the longest-running cases involved two sisters, ages 13 and 16. The U.S. Marshals Service said the girls had been reported missing in July 2024 and April 2026. Investigators following leads in southern Ohio found the 13-year-old concealed in a basement crawlspace beneath the floor of a bedroom closet at a home on Hibbs Road in Lockbourne. Authorities did not publicly identify the children because they are minors.
The girls’ mother was arrested on an outstanding Franklin County warrant for a probation violation, the Marshals Service said. Officials did not announce additional charges against her in connection with the child’s location. Information obtained during that recovery helped investigators find the older sister later the same day at a restaurant on Harrisburg Pike in Columbus, according to the federal agency.
Another case began after a 16-year-old girl was reported missing to Toledo police on Aug. 18. The U.S. Marshals Service said she had previously been reported as a victim of human trafficking. Members of Toledo police and the Marshals Service’s Specialized Personnel for Enforcement, Apprehension and Recovery Unit followed leads in the Toledo area and Michigan while investigating who she might be with.
Authorities eventually located the teenager and an adult man at an address on Woodward Avenue in Toledo. The girl received medical care and was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, according to the Marshals Service. The adult was interviewed at the scene. Officials said local law enforcement was investigating potential criminal activity but did not announce charges in the federal release. Authorities have not publicly identified the teenager.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, who leads the Northern District of Ohio, told WTVG that at least three girls under 18 recovered during the operation had been found with adult men in situations investigators described as trafficking. Two were located in Cleveland and another in Toledo, Elliott said. He also said about 250 children remained reported missing in the Northern District of Ohio, underscoring that investigators’ work continues after the monthlong operation.
The Marshals Service emphasized that the 79 cases did not all involve abductions or trafficking. Officials said children had disappeared for different reasons and faced different levels of danger. That distinction is significant because a large missing-child recovery operation can include runaways, custody-related cases, children facing abuse or neglect and young people believed to be at risk of exploitation.
Authorities also worked with Children and Family Services as children were located. The Marshals Service said recovered children were connected with medical, psychological and social-service organizations when needed. Those services can include trauma-informed counseling, family reunification assistance and longer-term case management. Officials described locating a child as the beginning of a broader process rather than the end of the case.
Amanda Berry, who was abducted in Cleveland in 2003 and escaped in 2013 after being held captive for about a decade, also assisted with Operation Meridian. Elliott said Berry spoke to participating personnel before the operation and urged them to approach every missing-child case with the urgency they would give their own families. Berry has continued working publicly on missing-person cases since her escape.
The August sweep has concluded, but participating task forces are continuing to investigate missing-child cases across Ohio. Authorities have not announced a single arrest total tied to all 79 recoveries, and each case has its own circumstances and investigative status. Officials said law enforcement and social-service partners will continue working on cases involving children who remain missing or endangered.
Author note: Last updated September 9, 2026.