INDIANAPOLIS — Police recovered eight endangered children after an operation with U.S. Marshals last week.
Several agencies, including IMPD and the Indiana Department of Child Services, joined the U.S. Marshals Service in "Operation Homecoming," from Aug. 31-Sept. 4.
The children, who between the ages of 6-17, were determined to be among the "most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area," the U.S. Marshals said.
The children were at high-risk due to being victims of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sex abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions, the agency said.
Federal investigators also arrested one adult in the operation, which was carried out throughout the Indianapolis metro area. That person was arrested on allegations of parental kidnapping, intimidation, weapons possession and custodial interference.
The eight children were turned over to DCS to provide assistance for the victims and place them in homes. They had all been reported missing by local police and were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which also assisted with the operation.
Agents used information including last-known addresses for the children, addresses of their friends' homes and their schools to begin the investigation.
It was the first operation of its kind conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, Southern District of Indiana. Several similar operations have recently recovered dozens of missing children nationwide, including in Georgia and Ohio.