For Immediate Release: 2/13/26

Contact: Aaron Cagwin | (518) 479-7180 | aaron.cagwin@dcjs.ny.gov

Westchester Missing Child Rescue Operation Results in Successful Location of 43 Children and Teens

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services partners with state Office of Children and Family Services, and National Child Protection Task Force to find children at risk of exploitation and harm

More than 70 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations and private partners leverage their resources and provide critical investigative support to police departments in Westchester County

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) today announced that 43 children and teens reported missing to police in Westchester County have been located through the Westchester Missing Child Rescue Operation. The operation, coordinated by the DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse in partnership with the state Office of Children and Family Services, and the National Child Protection Task Force, leveraged the experience, expertise and resources of more than 70 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private partners to provide critical investigative support to local police departments.

"Every missing child case represents a young person who deserves to be safe, supported and seen," DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado said. "This operation brought together an extraordinary group of law enforcement, nonprofit and private partners to share information, pursue new leads and connect children with the services they need. I am proud of the work led by our Missing Persons Clearinghouse, in partnership with the Office of Children and Family Services and the National Child Protection Task Force, and grateful to every agency and organization that came together to help protect children and families here in Westchester County."

The three-day operation, which concluded Thursday, convened public, nonprofit and private partners with one goal: to explore new leads, review case notes and leverage technology to find children who are at risk of endangerment, exploitation and harm. The 43 children and teens ranged in age from 8 to 17 years old when they were reported missing.

The Office of Children and Family Services coordinated with nonprofit organizations and victim assistance programs throughout the Downstate Region to assist the investigations and provide services and support for children who were recovered, with the goal of addressing their needs and preventing future missing episodes.

 

A total of 10,629 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police across the state in 2025, with 94 percent of them reported as runaways. Last year, police closed 10,672 cases involving children reported missing in 2025 or years prior. At the end of 2025, there were 1,079 active missing children cases statewide.

National Child Protection Task Force Co-Founder & CEO Kevin Branzetti said, "These outcomes reflect what's possible when law enforcement, child-protection professionals, and technology partners work side by side with a shared commitment to protecting vulnerable youth. Many people don't realize that children who run away are among the most vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, which makes urgency and coordination essential. These aren't statistics — they are OUR children."

New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, "Witnessing the third iteration of the New York State Missing Child Operation (MCO) today was an intense and purposeful reminder of what true collaboration looks like. Each action of the professionals involved appeared to be driven by the shared urgency to save and protect children from harm. I am extremely prideful and grateful for OCFS' partnership with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the National Child Protection Task Force who together with local, state, and national partners, located and offered support services to over 80 missing young people. Addressing the needs of youth with multiple missing episodes requires a broad, comprehensive service response. This meticulous work would not be possible without strong community partnerships, and we commend the work of the members of law enforcement, the Westchester County DSS, NYC Administration for Children's Services, The Children's Village, and JCCA, and many others who centered safety and protection."

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, "Sometimes, the unthinkable happens and a child goes missing, placing them in the worst of situations. Although investigations of missing and exploited children are difficult, acts that threaten the well-being of children are unconscionable. Interagency operations such as this are crucial, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the children of New York."

Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said, "As chief law enforcement officer in Westchester County, the plight of missing and exploited children has always been a top priority for me. Efforts like this week's operation help bring theoretical leads into the realm of the practical, giving our investigative partners the resources and expertise needed to solve their most challenging cases. Thanks to these collaborations, we are able to work together to more effectively protect children from harm and reunite them with their families and loved ones. I'm so proud of the work we are doing with our local and state government partners to keep children safe and look forward to working with them on future operations."

City of Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers said, "We were proud to take part in this operation and to help locate missing children from our community. This effort shows the real impact of agencies working together to protect young people and support families."

Town of Mt. Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva said, "I am proud of the work that the team is doing to conduct such organized and focused work to find these at-risk youth."

Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said, "The Yonkers Police Department is honored to have been part of this operation, which proved the power of concentrated, coordinated law enforcement efforts. By bringing together local, state, and federal partners with a singular focus, we were able to locate vulnerable children and teens who may have been at serious risk. This outcome underscores why missing-person investigations must remain a top priority. When agencies work side by side with purpose, lives are protected."

914Cares CEO Lisa Horten said, "914Cares is honored to play a small role in supporting this incredible operation by providing basic essentials for the children who are being found this week. The work that National Child Protection Task Force does with their Missing Child Rescue Operations truly showcases the power of collaboration at its best."

This is the third operation spearheaded by staff of the DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse and the NCPTF. The first in Erie County resulted in the location of 47 children reported missing to police departments in Buffalo and Amherst. The second in the Capital Region resulted in the location of 71 reported missing to police departments in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy.

Westchester County partners: Police departments in Dobbs Ferry, Mt. Pleasant, Mount Vernon, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, White Plains, and Yonkers; District Attorney's Office; Department of Social Services; Probation Department; Real Time Crime Center.

Community-based organizations, hospitals, and victim assistance programs: New York City Administration for Children Services.

Other law enforcement partners in New York State: DCJS Crime Analysis Centers, New York City Police Department, New York State Attorney General's Office, New York State Police, Port Authority Police NY/NJ.

Federal, national and private partners: FBI; National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; United States Marshal Service.

914 Cares, a Westchester County-based nonprofit, embedded with the National Child Protection Task Force throughout the week. Their team volunteered inside the command center and provided new and gently used clothing, hygiene supplies, winter wear, comfort items, blankets, backpacks, shoes, and diapers for children located during the operation.

National nonprofit partners including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), Operation Light Shine, and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA) provided investigative and strategic support throughout the operation.

Verizon Frontline deployed solutions enabling the establishment of a secure Wi-Fi network for the operation's command center, providing mission-critical communications capabilities. Verizon Frontline also sponsors Missing Child Rescue Operations nationwide, supporting NCPTF's ability to deliver coordinated, technology-driven assistance to law enforcement agencies.

The NCPTF also received generous support from the Mount Kisco Target, who donated essential items and volunteered to shop for supplies for children located during the operation.

NCPTF's private-sector partners including Meta, Snap Inc., TikTok, Stripe, Google, Block, Inc., Verizon, and PayPal expedited critical support requests to help law enforcement locate endangered children urgently.

About DCJS

The Division of Criminal Justice Services is home to the Missing Persons Clearinghouse and provides critical support to all facets of the state's criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About NCPTF

The National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF) is a nonprofit organization focused on creating better outcomes for missing, exploited, and trafficked children. By bringing together experienced investigators, analysts, and private-sector partners, NCPTF provides intelligence, advanced technology, and coordinated investigative support to help law enforcement locate endangered children.

NCPTF's work doesn't stop when a child is located. The organization helps agencies understand why a child ran, identify patterns of risk, and strengthen coordination so vulnerable children have better opportunities for stability and safety.

NCPTF exists because every missing child is endangered — and every second matters. Missing Child Rescue Operations are supported nationally by the Tim Tebow Foundation, The Jensen Project, and Answer the Call, with additional financial support from Snap Inc., Verizon, Clearview AI, DataPilot, Block, Inc., Penlink, Target, Skopenow, WhoIsXML API, Police Athletic League, netGenius, and Thomson Reuters.

The NCPTF is also equipped with advanced investigative technology provided by partners including DarkOwl, District 4 Labs, Elephantastic, Epieos, Flashpoint, FOG Data Science, Clearview AI, Penlink, GeoComply API, HYAS, Kaseware, Kasm, OSINT Combine, OSINT Industries, Pipl, Predicta Lab, SpyCloud, and Telemetry. These tools are leveraged during Missing Child Rescue Operations and to support law enforcement agencies across the country year-round in time-sensitive, child-focused investigations.

For more information, visit ncptf.org.