“Says authorities found 39 children in a double wide trailer in Georgia and it's not the biggest news story in America.”
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No, 39 missing kids weren’t found in a double wide trailer in Georgia
If Your Time is short
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Authorities found 39 missing children in Georgia, but not all in one location and not in a "double wide trailer."
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Many news outlets covered the story.
Several posts are going around Facebook that claim authorities found 39 missing children in a double wide trailer in Georgia and question why it isn’t the "biggest news story in America."
U.S. Marshals did find 39 children in Georgia, but they weren’t found in a trailer, and while the story may not have been the biggest in the country, it was covered by numerous news organizations.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
The U.S. Marshals announced in an Aug. 27 news release that it located 39 missing children in Georgia over a two-week period as part of a mission called "Operation Not Forgotten." The operation resulted in the rescue of 26 children, the safe location of 13 others, and nine arrests.
"These missing children were considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions," the release reads.
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"Other children were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure their wellbeing. USMS investigators were able to confirm each child's location in person and assure their safety and welfare."
Authorities didn’t disclose where the children were found, but there is no evidence that it was in a "double wide trailer."
It also doesn’t appear that all 39 children were found in the same location, according to the release. CBS News reported that investigators fanned out across two Georgia cities, Atlanta and Macon, to locate the children.
Meanwhile, the story received nationwide coverage from news outlets that include ABC News, CNN, CBS News, Fox News, NBC News, the Hill, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, and People magazine.
This claim is False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Aug. 28, 2020
USMarshals.gov, U.S. Marshals Find 39 Missing Children in Georgia During 'Operation Not Forgotten’, Aug. 27, 2020
CBS News, U.S. Marshals say they found 39 missing children in Georgia during two-week operation, Aug. 30, 2020
Lead Stories, Fact Check: 39 Missing Kids Were NOT Found In A Double Wide Trailer In Georgia -- But 'Operation Not Forgotten' Was Covered Extensively In The Media, Aug. 29, 2020
ABC News, US Marshals rescue nearly 40 children in Georgia as part of 2-week operation, Aug. 28, 2020
NBC News, U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia authorities operation leads to rescue of 39 children, Aug. 27, 2020
Atlanta-Journal Constitution, 15 sex trafficking victims among 39 missing children recovered in Georgia, Aug. 27, 2020
Fox News, US Marshals find 39 missing children in Georgia in 'Operation Not Forgotten', Aug. 28, 2020
People, 39 Missing Children Located in Georgia Sex Trafficking Sting Operation, Aug. 28, 2020
The Hill, US Marshals find 39 missing children in just 2 weeks, Aug. 28, 2020
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No, 39 missing kids weren’t found in a double wide trailer in Georgia
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