56 Missing Upstate New York Kids Found in Child Rescue Operation

56 missing children and teens have been successfully located as part of the Upstate New York Missing Child Rescue Operation.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) has announced the successful location of 56 children and teens who were reported missing as runaways in the first ever Capital Region Missing Child Rescue Operation.

New York Missing Child Rescue Operation

According to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services the first ever Capital Region Missing Child Rescue Operation involved more than 60 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations and private partners all working together to locate missing children and teens who were reported missing as runaways to police in Albany, Schenectady and Troy, NY.

This groundbreaking three-day operation, which concluded on March 13th, had one goal, to explore new leads, review case notes, and leverage technology to find children who are at risk of endangerment, exploitation, and harm.

56 New York Children Found

Due to the efforts of all involved, the rescue operation was able to locate 56 missing New York children and teens. The 56 children and teens ranged in age from 2 to 17 years old when they were reported missing, and from 6 to 21 years old when they were found.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the Most Complained About Things in New York

40 of the children/teens that were found were reported missing to the Albany Police Department, 11 to Troy Police and five to the Schenectady Police Department. The Colonie Police Department also located a 25-year-old missing vulnerable adult, bringing to 57 the total number of individuals located.

“I am so proud of this ground-breaking work, which is coordinated by our Missing Persons Clearinghouse staff and the National Child Protection Task Force and supported by nearly 50 public and private sector partners,” DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado said in a press release.

“These operations have resulted in the location of dozens of missing children from Western New York and the Capital Region, and we plan to continue our efforts to better protect and support at-risk youth, reduce crime, and make our communities safer for all.”

 

Thousands of Children Under 18 Were Reported Missing in New York in 2024

A total of 12,114 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police across New York in 2024, with 95 percent of them reported as runaways. Last year, police closed 12,310 cases involving children reported missing in 2024 or years prior. At the end of 2024, there were 1,067 active missing children cases statewide.

This operation is the second missing child initiative led by the DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse, and the National Child Protection Task Force, following a successful effort in Erie County, NY that found 47 children.

The NCPTF plans to host three more Missing Child Rescue Operations nationwide in 2025 and is expected to return to New York in early 2026.