Thirty-four missing kids across Queens and Long Island were rescued in just 72 hours during a massive law enforcement investigation this week, officials announced Friday.
The “Long Island Children Rescue Operation” brought a sudden end to disappearances that had lasted anywhere from a few days to 10 years, connecting the young victims aged 7 to 18 with support services.
While almost all of the youngsters were solely runaways, some were subjected to grotesque exploitation and human trafficking.
NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services
“A total of 10,629 children younger than 18 were reported missing to police across New York State in 2025, with 94% reported as runaways,” New York State police superintendent Steven James said in a statement Friday.
“During that year, police closed 10,672 cases involving children reported missing in 2025 or earlier years. At the end of 2025, there were 1,079 active missing children cases statewide.”
The massive multiagency investigation located the nearly three dozen children in a whirlwind operation from Tuesday through Thursday, working out of a command center in Garden City, Nassau County.
The rescued youth included 18 from Nassau County, 12 from Suffolk County and four from Queens, according to Newsday, while another 31 local cases remain open, according to the governor’s office.
The operation marks the fourth child rescue effort of its kind in New York.
Previous sweeps in Erie County, the Capital Region, and Westchester located 168 missing children and teens.
Nearly 100 professionals across 40 agencies and organizations teamed up to track down the vulnerable youths and connect them with vital care and support — including medical attention and daily essentials.
“Not every case ends with a dramatic rescue, a door being kicked in, and a child being carried to safety,” said National Child Protection Task Force chief executive officer Kevin Branzetti.
“The reality is that finding a child quickly — hopefully before something bad happens — often takes a coordinated effort. But finding them is only the first step,” he explained.
“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.”
