The U.S. Marshals Service, along with federal, state, and local partner agencies, led a six-week national operation called Operation We Will Find You 2 from May 20 to June 24, 2024. This initiative resulted in the recovery of 200 missing children, including a girl from Portland, Oregon.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) worked in conjunction with various local law enforcement agencies during this meticulous search. The operation targeted geographical areas known for having high clusters of critically missing children, like Portland.

Operation’s Key Findings

According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), this was the second iteration of Operation We Will Find You 2. A significant focus was placed on regions such as Multnomah, Washington, Deschutes counties in Oregon, and even the Warm Springs Reservation.

12-year-old Girl Recovered in Oregon

Among those rescued was a 12-year-old girl from Portland. She disappeared on May 21 after reporting allegations of sexual abuse by family members. Utilizing her cell phone signal, officers were able to locate her at a grocery store meeting point. It was here that USMS investigators intervened upon learning that her father was allegedly attempting to force her into a car.

The girl subsequently revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by two men and accused her father of inappropriate behavior. She was placed in foster care on May 24 but unfortunately faced further instability when the foster family asked her to leave within a day. With assistance from a deputy U.S. Marshal who she had built rapport with, she was eventually relocated to a state-run shelter.

Rescuing Children from Dangerous Locations

With the collaboration of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), officers removed 123 children from precarious situations while another 77 were located in safe environments.

The DOJ highlighted that of the recovered children, 173 were deemed endangered runaways, 25 were otherwise missing, one was abducted by family members, and one was a non-family abduction case.

Law Enforcement Collaboration and Technologies Used

The cooperation between multiple entities played an essential role in this operation’s success. Melissa Snow from NCMEC stated “Missing and Exploited Child Operations conducted by law enforcement involve multiple agencies working on a common mission in a shared space engaging in real-time collaboration and deconfliction.”

A key tool utilized by analysts at NCMEC was GIS technology that provided real-time maps and dashboards for tracking missing children and child traffickers. This method has proven to be effective as it enables law enforcement officers to receive current actionable data promptly.