U.S. Marshals Locate Critically Endangered Child Missing Since 2021

Detroit, MI - The U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit in the Eastern District of Michigan is pleased to announce that they have successfully recovered and reunited a critically endangered 14-year-old from Port Huron, MI that had been missing for over one year.

U.S. Marshals Service received a referral from the Michigan State Police, Missing Child Clearing House, that a child who had been reported missing by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, was potentially being sexually abused.

U.S. Marshals Service received the case on February 7th, 2023, and immediately began investigating the child’s whereabouts. US Marshals developed some solid leads, which ultimately led the Eastern District of Michigan Violent Offender Task Force to a residence in Port Huron, MI. Initial contact was made at the residence and the home occupants were uncooperative with the investigators on the Task Force. When asked about the child, the homeowners denied that the missing child was at the residence and provided false information.

The Violent Offender Task Force obtained a search warrant for the residence and subsequently were granted access to the home. The missing child was located hiding inside a closet inside the residence. The United States Marshals Service contacted Child Protective Services as the child was taken to the emergency room for a health assessment. It was subsequently discovered that the child was several months pregnant.

The men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service are parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents,” stated Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal of the Eastern District of Michigan. “We take the responsibility of locating and reuniting missing children with their families very personal and extremely serious. It is what we would want if our own children were missing; for dedicated investigators to work tirelessly to bring them home, safely.

The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. Nationwide, 60 local task forces are dedicated to violent crime reduction by locating and apprehending wanted criminals.