8 Missing Children Recovered After Multi-Agency Operation HOPE in Arkansas

Eight missing and endangered children were safely recovered or located during Operation HOPE, a multi-day effort led by the Arkansas State Police and several state, federal, and local partners.

The operation, which began August 18, focused on children reported missing from foster care and other high-risk situations. The agencies that were involved included the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and other law enforcement and child welfare organizations.

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According to a press release, when the operation began, four Arkansas foster children had been reported missing. Three of those children were safely recovered on the first day. During the four-day operation, investigators also responded to six additional missing or endangered child cases that happened across the state.

In total, Operation HOPE involved 10 children. Eight were safely recovered or located, including seven children in the care of the Division of Children and Family Services. Two foster children from Colorado who had been reported missing were also found in Arkansas.

Cases of Missing Children in Arkansas Included a Variety of High-Risk Situations

The cases involved children missing from foster and residential placements, an alleged child abduction, and situations that showed possible signs of human trafficking.

Two Arkansas foster children remain missing, and investigators are still working to find them and keep them safe.

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Sgt. Matt Foster, Arkansas Human Trafficking Coordinator, said,

Every missing child case demands an immediate, coordinated response. Operation HOPE brought together the expertise and resources of law enforcement, child welfare professionals, and federal partners to locate vulnerable children, investigate the circumstances surrounding their disappearance, and ensure they receive the support they need once they are found.

Missing Child Cases Continue to Decline in Arkansas

Operation HOPE is part of Arkansas' VALOR initiative, a statewide partnership launched in 2024 to strengthen the response to missing and endangered children.

At the time VALOR launched, Arkansas had 184 active cases involving children reported missing before turning 18, including roughly 40 to 50 children missing from foster care.

As of August 21, 2026, that number had dropped to 80 active cases involving individuals reported missing as minors. Of those, 30 are currently under the age of 18, and only two Arkansas children in foster care are currently listed as missing.

ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams said,

When the Trump administration launched Operation Hope in May, we promised to replicate its success across the nation. We are proud to have done so with Arkansas, and we will keep working until every child in the nation is accounted for and safe.