34 Missing Children Recovered in Three-Day Nassau and Suffolk County Operation

Law enforcement in New York located 34 missing children over a 72-hour operation this week, with most of the cases involving runaways and others involving suspected exploitation and human trafficking, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.

The children, reported missing to police in Nassau County and Suffolk County, had been gone anywhere from a few days to 10 years. They were found during what officials called the Long Island Missing Child Rescue Operation, which was planned over several months and run from a command center in Garden City, according to the governor’s office.

Each child located was connected with support services following the operation. Officials said the work does not stop at recovery.

“Every missing child deserves our full attention, and every family deserves answers. 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.”

Authorities said they are continuing to work additional cases beyond the 34 already resolved.

The Numbers Behind the Operation

According to the governor’s announcement, 10,629 children under 18 were reported missing to police across New York State in 2025, with 94 percent of those classified as runaways. Police closed 10,672 cases that year involving children reported missing in 2025 or earlier. At the end of 2025, 1,079 missing children cases remained active statewide.

Dr. Damia Harris-Madden, commissioner of the state’s Office of Children and Family Services, told CBS New York the operation was emotional but also encouraging. “Excited for the fact that our community will be receiving their children back home,” she said of the effort.

Why Children Run

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) identifies physical or sexual abuse, substance abuse, online enticement, family conflict, and gang activity as factors that raise the risk a child will run away. The organization defines an “Endangered Runaway” as a child under 18 who is missing on their own accord and whose whereabouts are unknown to a parent or legal guardian — a group NCMEC says is highly vulnerable and can experience homelessness while missing.

The U.S. Department of State has previously described human trafficking as a crime that “deprives millions worldwide of their dignity and freedom,” noting that at-risk populations can face deceitful recruitment by those seeking to exploit them for labor or commercial sex. The department said partnerships between public and private sectors and civil society can help expand awareness and coordinate anti-trafficking efforts nationally.