“The parents are terrified. They don’t know their kids are at, what they’re going through. The kids are in an absolutely horrific situation that they can’t get out.”
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police, in partnership with the U.S. Marshals, have helped return more than 120 missing children to their families as part of a sweeping anti-human trafficking investigation dubbed Operation Lightning Bug.
The joint operation, which ran from July 28 through Aug. 15, focused on recovering at-risk juveniles — many of whom were chronic runaways or vulnerable to exploitation.
Detective Travis Hazelton with the San Antonio Police Department’s Special Victims Unit said San Antonio’s location makes it a key corridor for trafficking activity.
“We’re a corridor where we are from the border up. We’re on I-10 and I-35. We have direct access to Houston, Austin, Dallas – everything comes through San Antonio,” Hazelton said. “It’s a hub.”
According to SAPD, social media plays a major role in how traffickers target and lure young victims.
“When we grew up, you had access to your neighborhood, your school. You have access to everybody as a child on social media now,” Hazelton said.
Identifying and Recovering At-Risk Youth
As part of the operation, investigators worked to identify patterns among runaway youth and determine why certain age groups were being targeted.
“We need to know why they’re running away, what they’re doing, and how we can help them not run away anymore — and help prevent them from being trafficked,” Hazelton said.
In total, Operation Lightning Bug yielded over 120 missing juveniles returned to their homes:
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3 arrests for harboring a runaway
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9 felony arrest warrants executed
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6 human trafficking survivors recovered
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5 active trafficking investigations opened
Names of suspects have not been released due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
SAPD says emotional support services were also provided to the rescued children. Hazelton emphasized the trauma many of the juveniles and their families experience.
“The parents are terrified. They don’t know where their kids are or what they’re going through. The kids are in absolutely horrific situations that they can’t get out of,” he said.
A Mother’s Story
Ashley Estrada, a San Antonio mother whose daughter was not involved in the operation, shared her personal experience with trafficking in hopes of raising awareness.
She said her daughter, who struggles with mental health challenges, met an older teen and left home. Estrada described a harrowing 10-day ordeal where her daughter was taken to another home and held at gunpoint before being rescued.
“She struggles with mental health issues, and she was feeling particularly sad that evening,” Estrada said.
The teen survived, but the emotional scars remain. Estrada is now advocating for greater awareness and support for families.
“Don’t focus so much on blaming yourself or what you could have done to prevent it,” she said. “Focus on the future — on therapy for yourself and your child.”
SAPD Urges Parents to Stay Vigilant
Hazelton says this crime is happening across the city, and urged parents to closely monitor their children’s social media activity.
He also had a warning for traffickers.
“We will find you. We will prosecute you,” Hazelton said.