12 children recovered in Fort Myers among 163 total in Florida operation

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Commissioner Mark Glass of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced on Tuesday that 163 children were recovered, including 12 in Fort Myers, during Operation Statewide Shield. The operation was five days focused on identifying, locating and recovering missing children under the age of 18 across the state, according to the FDLE news release. The investigation also used real-time intelligence and field operations for location and recovery. Vulnerable children were found across the state, including 46 recoveries in the Tampa Bay region, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola and three in the Tallahassee region, the release stated. The operation also led to locations and recoveries in six states, one U.S. territory, and 12 countries. The children ranged from 2 months to 17 years old, and many had experienced abuse, neglect, exploitation or exposure to other crimes, authorities said. According to the release, children who needed assistance were transported by law enforcement to recovery hubs, where they received support from social services, child welfare professionals, medical providers, victim advocates and other resources. Recovery information was documented through the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse for case closure. The Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice handled the transfer of custody for the recovered children. Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office are taking on three felony cases from the operation, FDLE said. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.