US Marshals find 79 missing Ohio kids in 'Operation Meridian'

A U.S. Marshals Service operation found 79 missing children in Ohio, the agency said in a news release. The U.S. Marshals, who are usually tasked with finding and arresting fugitives, worked with federal, state and local police to locate the missing and endangered children as part of "Operation Meridian" in August. The kids ranged in age from 6 to 17. The operation focused on missing children suspected to be runaways or victims of sex trafficking, abuse, neglect or other forms of endangerment. Authorities found the kids as far away as Georgia. In one case, marshals searched for two sisters age 13 and 16 who were reported missing from Columbus in 2024 and 2026, according to the news release. The 13-year-old girl was found in a hidden basement crawlspace in a home in Lockbourne, and the other girl was found at a restaurant on Columbus' West Side. The girls' mother was arrested on an outstanding warrant for a probation violation, according to the news release. In another case, authorities found a 16-year-old girl missing from Toledo who was suspected to be a victim of human trafficking. She was found with an adult man in Toledo, who is under investigation for potential crimes, according to the news release. Public safety and breaking news reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.