Breaking: Over 40 Missing Kids Recovered by Authorities in Erie County

Breaking: Over 40 Missing Kids Recovered by Authorities in Erie County!

A new and dedicated missing child rescue task force has just finished its first mission in Buffalo, working alongside local police to locate over 40 missing kids in Erie County. This marks a major effort to find children who were reported missing in the area.

Leaders of the National Child Protection Task Force told WIVB News 4 that Erie County has the third-highest number of missing child cases in the state. This statistic motivated the task force to start its operations in Buffalo, also known as the Queen City.

Kevin Branzetti, the CEO of the National Child Protection Task Force, stressed the importance of correctly identifying these children. He said, “They are a missing endangered child. They’re not a runaway. If we start labeling them properly, maybe then the resources, time, effort, and energy goes into helping them properly.”

Branzetti has partnered with Cindy Neff, the manager of the Missing Persons Clearing House, for years. Together, they have been working to train and assist in missing child investigations.

About nine months ago, they decided to take on a larger project by teaming up with 22 law enforcement agencies from Erie County and beyond. Their goal was to provide expert support to the police departments in Amherst and Buffalo.

“Every investigator, including myself, walked away from that event with more knowledge, which means the next cases we tackle, we have more knowledge, we have more information, we have more contacts, we have more tools in our toolbox,” Branzetti explained.

A total of 56 experts worked together on 50 separate cases involving children who had either run away or been taken by non-custodial parents. The Amherst, Buffalo, and Cheektowaga police departments, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office were all involved in the effort.

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By following new leads, reviewing case details, and using social media, they successfully brought home 47 missing children. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia noted, “By bringing them home, you’re also getting them out of the potential for danger or preventing them from becoming victims of circumstances.”

Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane expressed that this operation was a valuable opportunity for prosecutors to work closely with investigation experts. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia emphasized the importance of teamwork and called the initiative a vital service for the local youth.

The Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at Bestself in Buffalo acted as the main hub for the task force’s operations. The center collaborated with social services to ensure support for each of the children located there.

Branzetti highlighted the benefits of having child services on-site, saying, “It had those child services teams in-house with us to hear what’s going on and understanding the background of cases. Information was passed to them instantly.”

Neff added, “These kids now have the opportunity to be referred to their runaway intervention program and get the services they need.”

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Next, the task force plans to head to Albany. Local law enforcement has stated that the experience gained in Buffalo will be applied to future efforts to bring more missing children back home.

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