A quick-thinking employee at a Hilo restaurant helped rescue a 15-year-old kidnapping victim Saturday after the teen convinced her alleged captor that she was hungry and needed something to eat.
The Hawaii Police Department issued an Amber Alert for Mikella Debina after she was reported missing, possibly from an abduction, at around 1:30 p.m. Friday at Anaehoomalu Bay near Waikoloa Beach Drive. The alert said Debina “may be in the company of a local male” described as being approximately 45 to 60 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and wearing gray shorts but no shirt.
News of the suspected kidnapping quickly spread on social media and in the news media, placing the entire island on edge as police issued urgent bulletins seeking the public’s help in locating suspect Duncan Kealoha Mahi, 52, who was to be considered “armed and dangerous.”
Then around noon Saturday, just shy of 24 hours since Debina was last seen, Hawaii island Mayor Mitch Roth posted on social media that the teenager had been found safe in Hilo — the opposite side of the island from where she was last seen.
Debina reportedly convinced her alleged captor to get food for her at Cafe Pesto, located on the Hilo Bayfront, at around 11 a.m. Saturday, according to restaurant general manager Mario Castillo, who was working when Debina appeared at the restaurant with the older man.
“She was hungry and she talked him into bringing her to Cafe Pesto, which is not too smart since we’re a big restaurant,” Castillo said. “But good thing he was stupid enough to do that.”
One of the restaurant’s employees, who Castillo identified as Bridge Hartman, was working as a host at the time and saw the two in line with other customers. When Debina started crying, the man who was with her tried to pull her out of line to leave.
“It dawned on Bridge that it was her as he was trying to pull her away,” Castillo said. “Bridge went and grabbed her to pull her away from him and brought her into the restaurant. In the meantime, (Bridge) was yelling to get (the suspect).”
Hartman, who Castillo called a “hero,” had recognized Debina from the Amber Alert and was able to separate her from the suspected kidnapper.
“He knew he had to act. … All he knew was that it was her,” Castillo said. “He picked up on the body language.”
The suspect fled the area but bystanders were able to take photos of him and the license plate number of the vehicle he was driving, which police later described as a white Honda CR-V.
Castillo had Debina, who was in distress but not injured, wait in his office while police were notified that she had been located.
Hawaii island police confirmed the teen was “in good health in Hilo” after the alleged abduction.
Roth, in a Facebook announcement said, “Mahalo to our HPD officers, the FBI, and the community for doing all you could to locate Mikella and get her to safety! This is what community is all about. Now, let’s get her back to her mama.”
Just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday, police announced that Mahi had been arrested in Hilo. No further details were provided.
“The Hawai‘i Police Department would like to express a heartfelt mahalo to the Hawai‘i Fire Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, our private partners, and the countless community members who came together in a concerted effort, allocating numerous resources to this investigation and working tirelessly to locate Mikella,” HPD said in a news release.
The Debina family did not respond to Honolulu Star- Advertiser requests for comment, but Facebook posts from apparent family members show relatives were working with police and a search party to look for Debina before reuniting with her.
