34 missing children and teens found in New York operation, officials say A three-day multi-agency operation in Nassau and Suffolk counties and New York City located 34 missing children and teens aged 7 to 18, officials announced Friday, with some disappearances lasting up to 10 years. Thirty-four missing children and teens were located during a three-day, multi-agency rescue operation across Long Island, Queens and New York City, officials announced Friday. The effort, called the Long Island Missing Child Rescue Operation, ran from Tuesday through Thursday and ended disappearances that had lasted anywhere from a few days to 10 years. The young people ranged in age from 7 to 18 when they were reported missing. They had been reported to police in Nassau and Suffolk counties and to the NYPD. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the results Friday.Agencies Coordinate Missing Child RescueNearly 100 professionals from about 40 agencies and organizations took part, working from a centralized command center in Garden City, Nassau County. Investigators reviewed case information, pursued new leads, shared intelligence and used technology to close missing-child cases across the region. Law enforcement partnered with social workers, advocates and community organizations to determine the circumstances of each disappearance and identify the support each child needed.Officials said assistance included safe housing, medical care, counseling, transportation, clothing, food and other essentials tailored to each child's situation. Hochul said every missing child deserves full attention and every family deserves answers. She said the operation brought together the expertise and resources needed to find vulnerable young people and help protect them from exploitation and harm.Support Services for Located YouthsShe added that the commitment does not end when a child is located, and that they must also receive the care, support and stability they need to stay safe. Kevin Branzetti, chief executive officer of the National Child Protection Task Force, said not every case ends with a dramatic rescue, a door being kicked in and a child being carried to safety. He said finding a child quickly, hopefully before something bad happens, often takes a coordinated effort.He added that finding them is only the first step, and that authorities need to listen and understand why they left, what they experienced while they were gone, and most importantly, what can be done to help. Tim Williams, program manager at the state Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Person's Clearinghouse, described the command center approach.He said everyone is in the room focused on one task, and when something is needed, it is a conversation across the table instead of a phone call. The operation marks the fourth missing-child rescue effort of its kind in New York. Previous operations were held in Erie County and the Capital Region.New York State Missing Child StatisticsIn February, a widespread child rescue effort in Westchester County, spearheaded by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and involving 70 federal, New York and local agencies, covered communities with high numbers of missing-child cases, including Dobbs Ferry, Mount Pleasant, Mount Vernon, White Plains and Yonkers. New York State police superintendent Steven James released statewide figures Friday.He said 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. 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. In the Long Island operation, officials said the children and teens were connected with vital care and support, including medical attention and daily essentials.The effort combined law enforcement, child services and digital technology teams in a coordinated push to locate vulnerable youths and help them stabilize after they were found.