Police on Thursday evening found a 10-year-old girl who was missing for almost a week.
Police released a statement at 8:16 p.m. Thursday saying Chennah K. Caitano was found in good health in Fern Forest Subdivision in upper Puna. She was reported missing after being last seen at about 4:35 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. Police issued a bulletin just before noon Thursday saying the girl was missing.
The block where Caitano was last seen is in a residential area that also has the YWCA’s Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Multipurpose Building and is across Haili Street from Sack N Save and the old downtown Hilo McDonald’s site.
Police Capt. Reed Mahuna, the Hilo Patrol Division commander, said Thursday that Caitano was staying with a foster family in the neighborhood. Numerous officers combed the area Thursday, hoping to find the girl.
“We’re doing neighborhood canvasses and whatnot at this point. We do not have any leads at this time,” Mahuna said late Thursday afternoon.
Asked why it took almost a week for the public to be notified about a missing 10-year-old, Mahuna replied, “This case was originally classified as a runaway. A report was made that she was a runaway on the date that it occurred. However, it was reclassified because of her age to a missing person.”
Caitano’s 16-year-old sister, Chanastie K. Caitano, might also be missing, according to an Aug. 26 police statement. Chanastie Caitano was last seen Aug. 11 in the Mountain View area.
The Tribune-Herald doesn’t know if she’s been found. Police haven’t released a statement to that effect, and Mahuna said he didn’t know Chanastie Caitano’s status.
She’s described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall, 133 pounds, with a medium complexion, shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black spandex shorts and a white windbreaker jacket.
A third sister, who was reported missing in May, was found shortly after police disseminated a bulletin. The Tribune-Herald is not naming her.
Mahuna said all three sisters are in the Child Welfare Services system.
Anyone with information about Chanastie Caitano’s whereabouts is asked to call the police nonemergency number at 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.