Two children who were reported missing in Ohio were found safe in Indianapolis, according to information shared by the U.S. Marshals Service. Members of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force led by Marshals found the kids, ages four and one, in Indianapolis on September 28, 2026. The kids were initially reported missing to the Elyria Police Department during a court hearing in Lorain County on September 16.
Law enforcement authorities said that the four-year-old child is autistic and is in need of around-the-clock care. Due to the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of children, authorities believed their lives were in danger. The U.S. Marshals Service revealed that members of its SPEAR unit worked with Elyria police during the investigation and determined the children were with their mother, who had fled from the Buckeye State.
On Monday, members of the task force from Indiana were sent to locate and recover the missing children. Asiah Brown, 26, was taken into custody by police. She was later indicted in Lorain County Court of Common Pleas on a charge of interfering with custody. U.S. Marshal Pete Elliot credited the partnership between the various agencies who worked on the case with the safe recovery of the children.
“The United States Marshals Service will do everything in its power to safely locate missing children,” Elliott said, according to a report from WISHTV. “We are thankful for the safe recovery of these two children and the incredible partnership with Elyria Police Department to ensure no information is lost or overlooked when it comes to cases like this.”
This is one of many big victories for the U.S. Marshals Service this month. According to a report from ABC 6, a month long operation to find missing and endangered children across the state of Ohio led to the recovery of a staggering 79 kids. Marshals joined forces with various federal, state, and local agencies and departments on a project called Operation Meridian.
The children recovered ranged in age between 6 and 17. U.S. Marshal Michael Black provided a statement that explained how the agency utilized the same methods employed by its fugitive task forces to find violent criminals on the run to help locate the missing children. “The United States Marshals Service, through its fugitive task forces, locates and arrests the most violent fugitives in our communities,” he stated.
“Using the same resources and methods we have the ability to seek and recover missing and endangered children. We are proud to be able to assist our law enforcement partners in locating and reuniting missing children with their families,” Black continued. The operation took place throughout the month of August and centered around kids that were reported missing under a variety of different circumstances, including suspected sex trafficking, physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and more.
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Law enforcement officials worked closely with Children and Family Services to help connect recovered kids with much-needed medical, psychological, and social service agencies. Many were provided with resources such as trauma-informed counseling, family reunification services, and long-term case management when it was necessary.