HILO — Big Island police announced this week that they have initiated a custodial interference case in connection with last week’s search for a missing 9-year-old Puna boy.
Disen Hue-Aragaki was located by police and returned to the custody of his mother on March 15 after a 24-hour search that included the efforts of nearly 20 law enforcement officers — including multiple patrol officers from the Puna and South Hilo districts — a DEA helicopter that was diverted from another assignment, and one canine officer and its handler.
An Orchidland family had picked up the boy Wednesday afternoon when they found him wandering along 40th Avenue in the neighborhood. He had ended up there after leaving his home in Kurtistown following an argument with his mother, said Lt. Gregory Esteban.
The family was unable to find out the boy’s phone number or address, and ended up bringing him home with them overnight. As a result of fliers being distributed by residents, family and police, a relative informed the family that police were looking for the boy, and he was reunited with his family shortly thereafter.
Police would not identify the family that took the boy in, saying they could not disclose that information while they were part of an ongoing investigation.
“We want the public to understand that it is not OK to keep a lost child overnight before calling police,” said Assistant Chief Henry Tavares in announcing the investigation. “The proper response is to call 911 as soon as possible after you find a child who is lost or wandering along without adult supervision.”
While impact to usual police operations as a result of the search was “minimal,” according to Esteban, some overtime was incurred by officers.
But, he said, “in any case involving a potentially endangered missing child, the police will utilize all available resources and personnel to complete the search.”
Esteban added that while a citizen may have good intentions in bringing a child home, “doing so may subject a person to a criminal investigation.”
“Police need to emphasize that if any member of the public sees a child who appears out of place, disoriented and obviously lost, police should be immediately called,” he said.
The caller should be prepared to provide first responders with all relevant descriptive information, he said, such as name, birthdate, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, and clothing the child was last seen wearing. Parents should also keep current photos of their children available.
