UPDATE: Hawai‘i Island police report that 15-year-old Moanikeala Liwai, who was previously reported as a runaway, was located in Puna in good health on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
ORIGINAL POST: Hawai‘i Island police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating two Puna teens who were reported as runaways in separate incidents.
Sixteen-year-old Shayla Smith-Akiona of Kea‘au, (Case #22-017796), was last seen on the afternoon of Sunday, February 27, 2022, in the Hawaiian Paradise Park area wearing blue jeans, a black/white hoodie, blue shoes, and carrying a blue backpack.
She is described as having a medium build, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 117 pounds, with long straight black hair and brown eyes. Smith–Akiona has a tattoo of a flower on her left ankle.
Fifteen-year-old Moanikeala Liwai (Case #22-017896) was also last seen on Sunday, February 27, in the Hawaiian Paradise Park area wearing blue jeans, a dark colored hoodie, and white shoes.
Liwai is described as 5 feet 8 inches, 120 pounds, black hair with purple highlights and brown eyes. She also has a “Hello Kitty” tattoo on her left ankle and a septum style nose piercing.
Police ask anyone who may have information about the whereabouts of either girl to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or contact Officer Derek Toloumu of Puna Patrol at (808) 965-2716.