Thirty-four children and teenagers reported missing from Long Island and Queens were located during a three-day rescue operation involving more than 100 investigators, social workers, advocates and other professionals, New York officials announced.
The Long Island Missing Child Rescue Operation was run from a centralized command center in Garden City and concluded Thursday, Oct. 1, following months of planning, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and the National Child Protection Task Force.
The children and teens ranged in age from 7 to 18 when they were reported missing.
Of the 34 located, 18 had been reported missing in Nassau County, 12 in Suffolk County and four in Queens.
Investigators reviewed existing cases, pursued new leads, shared intelligence and used specialized technology during the operation. The National Child Protection Task Force said private-sector companies including Google, Snap, TikTok and Verizon also provided support for time-sensitive missing-child investigations.
Authorities said additional missing-child cases remain under investigation.
The operation was co-led by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse, the state Office of Children and Family Services and the National Child Protection Task Force, with support from New York State Police.
Local participants included the Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department and NYPD Missing Persons Squad. The FBI, Nassau and Suffolk district attorneys’ offices, Queens and Brooklyn district attorneys’ offices and numerous other law enforcement, social service and child advocacy organizations also participated.
“Every missing child deserves our full attention, and every family deserves answers,” Hochul said. “Our commitment does not end when a child is located. We must also help them get the care, support and stability they need to stay safe.”
Officials said law enforcement worked alongside social workers and advocates to determine the circumstances surrounding each disappearance and identify what the children needed after they were found.
Services included safe placement, medical care, counseling, transportation, clothing and food. Medical examinations and forensic interviews were provided when appropriate.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said detectives and their partners located 18 people who had been reported missing in Nassau during the operation.
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said the operation allowed investigators to combine resources and focus on locating vulnerable young people. He credited the department’s Criminal Intelligence Section, Human Trafficking Investigations Unit and analysts.
National Child Protection Task Force CEO Kevin Branzetti said locating a missing child is only the beginning of the process.
“Finding them is only the first step,” Branzetti said. “We need to listen and understand why they left, what they experienced while they were gone, and most importantly, what we can do to help.”
Officials said the operation focused not only on locating missing children but also on issues that can contribute to repeat disappearances, including trafficking, exploitation and homelessness.
The Long Island operation was the fourth of its kind in New York. Together, the four operations have helped locate 202 missing children and teens over the past two years.
Statewide, 10,629 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police in 2025, according to state officials. Ninety-four percent were reported as runaways.
Police closed 10,672 cases involving children reported missing during 2025 or previous years. At the end of 2025, 1,079 missing-child cases remained active statewide.
Photo credit: All photos courtesy of the National Child Protection Task Force.
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