Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy reported that at least 27 children went missing between May 2 and 16.
The chief of police, who also serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Cleveland Missing Organization, warned that by 2023, the disappearances of children aged 12-17 would reach "unprecedented levels".
"For some reason, we've seen a lot more in 2023 than we normally see, which is somewhat worrying because we don't know what happened to some of these children, whether they were victims of trafficking or if they were involved in gang activities or drugs," Majoy told Fox News.
As of mid-May, there were a total of 56 active missing child cases in Cleveland.
Majoy emphasized that he had never seen such a high number of missing children in his 33-year career.
"It's a silent crime committed right under our noses," he said.
Majoy added that when young people became desperate, they join gangs that make them steal cars and involve in robbery, or they sell their bodies or use drugs for protection.
To combat rising disappearances in Cleveland and other areas of northern Ohio, the U.S. Law Enforcement Service launched "Operation We'll Find You" in May.
