Community bands together to search for missing 6-year-old

By ‘A’ali’i Dukelow

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Dozens of Waimanalo residents gathered at Sherwoods Beach Park and Waimanalo District Park Monday afternoon to help search for 6-year-old Isabella Kalua, who was last seen at her Puha Street residence around 9 on Sunday night.

“Scared for her. Heartbroken, still looking,” said Lana Idao, who said she is Kalua’s biological grand aunt.

Even though she and her family haven’t seen Kalua for about 5 years since she was taken into foster care — Idao said they felt it was their responsibility to help find her.

“She’s our blood, you know,” Idao said.

Once the news broke, Idao said she and her family quickly organized their own search effort.

“We called each other and friends of family, friends of friends came out, social media, you know how the word gets out,” Idao said.

Social media posts motivated Waimanalo resident Shantel Shepherd to support the search effort.

Shepherd said she empathized with Kalua because she too has children, six of them, all under the age of 11.

“I mean if that was my kid I would want people to come and support and help look for my kid,” Shepherd said.

Waimanalo resident Kycen Keohohina-Ka’aikala said he did not mind “staying as long as I got to,” to help find Kalua.

“‘Til the next day, whatever, you know, sad to see this little kid missing,” Keohohina-Ka’aikala said.

Kalua is described as 3’3, 46 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a black hoodie, black leggings, colorful socks, and Nike shoes with a pink bottom at the time of her disappearance.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Honolulu Crimestoppers at 955-8300.

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