Search on for missing opihi picker

Police have initiated a missing person case in connection with a 29-year-old Pahoa woman who failed to return Sunday from a day of picking opihi.

Shanice Ogata-Staudinger was picking opihi with a relative at 11 a.m. Sunday in the area of Kahakai Boulevard and Papio Street in Pahoa, at a spot commonly known as “Hau Bush.”

Ogata-Staudinger became separated from her relative and failed to return to their prearranged meeting spot later that afternoon, police said.

Emergency personnel, including police and Hawaii Fire Department’s Chopper One, responded to the scene and conducted extensive checks in the area. The U.S Coast Guard is assisting in the search, and continued looking for Ogata-Staudinger throughout Sunday night.

This morning, HFD units returned to the area, and Hawaii Police Department’s Area I scent-discriminating canine was also deployed to conduct a more extensive ground search.

Ogata-Staudinger is described as local with a medium build, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, blue jeans and purple tabis water shoes.

She has a dollar sign symbol tattoo on her left cheek.

Police ask anyone who may have any information on the whereabouts of Ogata-Staudinger to contact the police department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311.