Authorities say that a multi-agency operation in Texas has located 70 missing children.
“Operation lost souls,” which was led by the Department of Homeland Security, Texas Department of Public Safety, and other local agencies, recovered children between the ages of 10 and 17. According to a readout, the majority of children recovered were runaways. Some of the children were also victims of sex trafficking.
The operation recovered children in west Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Colorado. Authorities also crossed into Mexico and recovered a child in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with the help of Mexican authorities.
Special agent in charge Taekuk Cho said “Operation Lost Souls exemplifies Homeland Security Investigations’ commitment to protecting the public from crimes of victimization. In this case, we are looking out for our children – our community’s most precious resource. HSI is committed to continue working with our law enforcement partners to locate, recover and help missing children heal, while ensuring that perpetrators are held responsible for these heinous crimes and brought to justice.”