TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A law enforcement task force has recovered 122 missing and endangered Florida children, the U.S. Marshals announced Monday.

The two-week operation, led by local, state and federal law enforcement groups and titled Home for the Holidays, involved Florida children from metro areas including Tampa Bay (57), Orlando (14), Jacksonville (22) and Fort Myers (29).

They were found in Florida and nine other states, and they range in age from 23 months to 17 years old.

“These kids, ranging in age from 17 down to just 2 years old, many have been through the unthinkable,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said. “They’ve been trafficked. They’ve been exploited. They’ve been abused.”

A similar operation during the summer brought in more than 60 children in the Tampa Bay area.

“As I said back in July, this is why we do the job,” Uthmeier said. “Here in Florida, everybody now knows, protecting our kids, keeping them safe, preventing them from being extorted and endangered. That’s what it’s all about.”

“What allows our Middle Florida based child recovery initiatives to stand out is the emphasis placed on what happens after. We know these children will have needs once we find them. It only makes sense to build these operations alongside like-minded partners from across the child welfare space,” Bill Berger, United States Marshal – Middle District of Florida, said in a statement.

The recovered children received services such as medical care, foster care and child placement and “juvenile justice coordination.”

A news release highlighted the following cases:

• A young pregnant female received first-time prenatal care.
• Two brothers received initial care for substance dependency.
• A care plan was being devised for a toddler safely found in Mexico.
• A young woman was placed in a secure home after reporting child safety concerns.
• A young man with a “significant juvenile justice history” received help related to his alleged abuse.

The news release said the children disclosed information that led to six felony arrests, ranging from child neglect, custodial interference, narcotics possession, sexual assault, terroristic threats, and endangerment.

After the children were recovered, they were given medical care and mental health counseling. Many were taken to The Children’s Home Network for more care.

“We try to understand why they are running, what kind of placement do they want for themselves, where do they see themselves long term,” said Tyra Martin-Greene with the Children’s Home Network.

She said that after their needs are identified, the children can be placed into a safe and stable situation for long-term care.