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Operation Statewide Shield Recovers Eight Missing Children In Escambia County, 163 Statewide
August 26, 2026
Eight missing children have been safely located and recovered in Escambia County as part of Operation Statewide Shield, a massive multi-agency effort that rescued a total of 163 children across Florida and beyond.
The five-day operation, announced by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass, marks the first state-led statewide child recovery initiative and stands as one of the largest child-recovery operations in American history.
The multi-disciplinary task force focused on identifying, locating, and recovering missing youth under the age of 18 using real-time intelligence and coordinated field operations. The recovered children ranged in age from just 2 months old to 17 years old, with many having experienced various levels of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or exposure to criminal activity.
“Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable,” Attorney General Uthmeier said. “Thanks to the outstanding work of FDLE, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, and our state and local partners, these children are now safe and receiving the care they deserve. Florida will continue leading the recovery of missing children, hunting down every predator, and prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law.”
In addition to the eight recoveries in Escambia County, the task force located 46 children in the Tampa Bay region, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, and three in the Tallahassee area. Coordinated leads also extended far beyond Florida’s borders, resulting in locations and recoveries across six states, one U.S. territory, and 12 countries.
“Operation Statewide Shield demonstrates the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment shared by all participating agencies and organizations to achieve a singular mission: find our kids and bring them home,” FDLE Commissioner Glass said.
Following recovery, local law enforcement safely transported children requiring assistance to designated hubs. There, child welfare professionals, medical providers, victim advocates, and social services delivered immediate care before the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) managed custody transfers.
All case details were logged into the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) to ensure formal case closures. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office provided legal counsel throughout the initiative and are taking on three felony cases generated during the sweep.
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