Federal marshals working with Arizona state and local authorities located 31 missing children during a three-week sweep across the Phoenix area, authorities reported on May 5.
The U.S. Marshals Service ran what they called Operation Desert Dawn from April 13 to May 1, targeting areas with reports of high concentrations of critically missing children, the agency said.
The operation safely secured 20 of the children, which included some endangered runaways, and confirmed the location of 11 others with the help of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Marshals Service reported.
“This operation was about protecting children who were in a vulnerable and dangerous situation,” said Van Bayless, U.S. Marshal for the District of Arizona. “Each child we located represents a young life removed from the risk of exploitation, abuse, or worse. Through the dedication of our partners, these children now have the opportunity to return to safety and begin moving forward.”
The children who go missing often face exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking, according to the Marshals Service.
- a 16-year-old girl suspected of being a sex trafficking victim in Glendale, Arizona
- an 11-year-old girl with mental health concerns
- a 16-year-old homeless child with substance use problems
- a 17-year-old who was reported missing from Phoenix for 18 months
- a 14-year-old missing child from Phoenix who was found in Tucson
- a 17-year-old girl suspected of being a victim of sex trafficking in Phoenix
The Marshals Service supports the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s mission to help federal, state, and local law enforcement locate missing children across the country when they are at an elevated risk.
In 2025, the agency recovered 583 children through the program, according to its data. Since 2015, the agency has located or recovered more than 4,561 missing children.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported that the number of active missing children in Arizona is 140 as of May 5, according to the center’s online data.
The Human Trafficking Hotline received 550 reports from Arizona in 2024, the last year reported. Of those, 175 involved victims or survivors of human trafficking, according to the organization.