Governor Gavin Newsom & Attorney General Bonta: 37 Missing Children Found in Riverside County Operation

“We will never stop fighting to protect California children and bring them home. Through close collaboration between state and federal authorities, we were able to identify, locate, and safely recover 37 vulnerable children while holding those responsible for their exploitation accountable,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Finding missing children and bringing them home safely is some of the most important work we can do. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect children, support families, and ensure every child in California is safe.”

The DOJ assisted this USMS-led operation along with several key agencies, including the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Riverside County Probation Office, California Highway Patrol, and Riverside County Department of Public Social Services.

The DOJ leads three human trafficking teams across the state: the Sacramento Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the Fresno Human Trafficking Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, and the San Diego County Human Trafficking Task Force. Human trafficking involves the exploitation of individuals for sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Traffickers often target people who are already vulnerable due to circumstances such as poverty, housing instability, or other risk factors. The California Department of Justice continues to work with law enforcement partners across the state to combat human trafficking, support victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.