43 missing children located in Westchester's first Missing Child Rescue Operation
On Friday, officials announced the final outcome of the operation, which spanned more than 70 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and community partners who collaborated to find the children with the help of pooled resources.
More Stories
A total of 43 missing children and teenagers have been located as part of Westchester County's first Missing Child Rescue Operation.
The operation spanned the course of three days this week.
More than 70 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and community partners gathered in Mount Kisco for the days to find the child with the help of pooled resources.
The cases investigated were those that were reported to police departments as runaways.
The kids ranged from ages 8 through 17 when they were initially reported missing.
"We always talk about push and pull factors. There's you know, whether they don't feel supported in the environment they're in or whether they feel like it's going to be better where they're going," said Tim Williams the program manager of the New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse within the division of Criminal Justice Services.
In 2025, officials say 10,629 kids younger than 18 were reported missing in New York state.
A total of 94% of them were reported as runaways.
Here in Westchester, police departments in Dobbs Ferry, Mount Vernon, Mount Pleasant, Yonkers and White Plains were all involved.
These departments were chosen because they have the highest number of missing child cases, according to Williams.
"The amount of times I've heard a kid who is then found and recovered who said, 'I didn't know anybody cares?' How does that not break your heart?" said Kevin Branzetti, co-founder and CEO of the National Child Protection Taskforce.
Officials say finding the kids is just part of the solution, saying the policy is to find, to listen, and to help.
"When they're recovered, how do we help them? Stabilize? understand what the push or the pull was for them to leave and how to really support them, to stay home and stabilize and to really thrive? said Dr. Nina Aledort, the Deputy Commissioner of the division of Youth Development and Partnerships for Success at the New York State Office for Children & Family Services.
At this time, officials were unable to release specifics on the cases as many are still considered active.
News 12 reached out to local police departments and is waiting for a response.
