Woman, 29, missing after picking opihi on Big Island
COURTESY HPD
Police are searching for Shanice Ogata-Staudinger, 29, of Pahoa, who went missing after a day of picking opihi on Sunday.
Hawaii island police have initiated a missing person case after a Pahoa woman failed to return from a day of picking opihi.
Police said at 11 a.m. Sunday, Shanice Ogata-Staudinger, 29, was picking opihi with a relative at a spot commonly known as “Hau Bush” in the area of Kahakai Boulevard and Papio Street in Pahoa.
She became separated from her relative and failed to return to their prearranged meeting spot later that afternoon.
Police and the Hawaii Fire Department’s chopper responded to the scene and conducted extensive checks in the area throughout the day. The U.S. Coast Guard continued searching for Ogata-Staudinger throughout the night.
At first light today, HFD units returned to the area, and the Hawaii Police Department’s Area I scent-discriminating canine was deployed to conduct a more extensive ground search.
Ogata-Staudinger is described as local, with a medium build. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall and 150 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes and a dollar-sign symbol tattoo on her left cheek.
She was last seen wearing a black tank top, blue jeans and purple tabis water shoes.
Police ask anyone who may have any information on the whereabouts of Ogata-Staudinger to contact the police department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.
