Washington highlighted the particular concerns of law enforcement, both local and federal, about the potential for child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse and physical abuse, in addition to medical or mental health conditions among some of the children.

© Shane T. McCoy / US Marshals

“When we track down fugitives, it’s a good feeling to know that we’re putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of accomplishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child,” said Darby Kirby, Chief of the Missing Child Unit.

The USMS helped recover 295 missing children in 2019 – 75 percent of the cases referred to it. It was granted the authority to recover missing children under the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, and it established the Missing Child Unit a year later. Since then, it has recovered more than 1,800 missing children.

More than 420,000 children are currently missing in the US, 91 percent of whom are believed to be at-risk runaways.