Operation Rocky Top Rescue locates 11 missing children
April 16, 2024, 8:17 p.m.

KNOX COUNTY – Eleven missing children from Knox County have been located following a two-day multi-agency joint operation in Knoxville, which focused on locating missing juveniles.

Operation Rocky Top Rescue was a partnership between the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Knoxville Police Department, and the Department of Children’s Services – Absconder Unit.

During the planning phase leading up to the operation, intelligence analysts and detectives identified numerous juveniles who were missing or unaccounted for in the Knoxville area. Sixteen of those children were located before the start of the operation. During the two-day effort, on April 10th and 11th, five teams searched for an additional 25 missing juveniles. Eleven of those juveniles, ranging from 14 to 17 years old, who were previously identified as missing, delinquent, or a runaway, were located and are now safe.

In the coming weeks, agencies will continue efforts to locate those children who were not found during the operation.

Click here to learn more about missing children in Tennessee.