Arkansas State Police recover eight missing children during Operation HOPE

Arkansas State Police and various state and federal partners successfully recovered or located eight missing or endangered children during a four-day initiative known as Operation HOPE. The operation, which began on August 18, targeted high-risk cases including children missing from foster or residential placements, alleged abductions, and potential human trafficking.

Of the eight children located, seven were under the care of the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services. The group also included two foster children from Colorado who were found within Arkansas. While eight children were safely accounted for, two Arkansas children in foster care remain missing, and law enforcement agencies are continuing their search.

The coordinated effort involved the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, and the HHS Office of Inspector General. Operation HOPE is part of a broader effort in Arkansas to improve coordination between law enforcement and child welfare agencies through the VALOR initiative.