Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 12, 1 December 2023 — My Husband is Missing on Maui [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My Husband is Missing on Maui

< > ~ OPINION ~

By Samantha Higbee My husband, Kainalu Higbee, is missing on Maui since 2022. We have three ehildren together Ka'ilike, Konapiliahi, and Kau'i. We think about Kai every day. He loved his family and was a good father. Our entire 'ohana misses him and there are no words to describe not having him home with us or not knowing what happened. Kainalu was last seen leaving his mother's home on Mother's Day, May 8, 2022. Four days later, his truck was found abandoned at the Sunrise Cafe parking structure in Lahaina. The door was unlocked, and his wallet, along with his driver's license, debit/ credit cards and an unopened paek of cigarettes were on the front seat. The beginning of the worst days of our lives. Early in the investigation, the detective assigned to Kai's case seemed inattentive and not mueh was done. There was a laek of care. One day the detective told me, "Don't worry he will be home, he's probably just out doing drugs." I couldn't believe he was serious, that he would say this to our worried, heartbroken family. At one point we pushed the Maui Poliee Department (MPD) to collect footage from surveillance cameras facing Front St. in Lahaina to see if it was really Kai who drove and parked his truck at Sunrise Cafe. The detective told me there were no cameras facing Front St. I didn't believe him, so I posted about it on Facebook. A friend saw the post and told me a realty ofīice at the wharf had cameras facing Front Street. I told the detective about it, but he called me later saying that the cameras had already taped over the week we needed. As the months go by, there is still no sign of Kai. No new leads. No answers. No one has eome forward with information. Kai is from Lahaina, and he has a twin brother named Ka'unalu (see photo). Sadly, his family home burned down in the recent wildfires and his

family was displaced. Our family is hoping that one day we will embrace you, Kai, filling our lives with the completeness only you ean bring. Until that day comes, we will persevere with unwavering hope and love. You are missed beyond measure, and our hearts aehe for you every day. MPD announced in November that they have launched a dedicated Cold Case Detail, Charlie Detail, that focuses on unsolved homicides and missing person cases. The community is encouraged to provide information or leads related to unsolved homicides or missing persons cases on Maui. To report information, email coldcase@mpd.net or eall 808-270-5575. "Our goal is to bring closure to the families affected by these unsolved crimes and ensure that justice is served by holding perpetrators accountable," Poliee Chief John Pelletier said. ■ Kainalu's Poliee Report is #22-015637. Please eall MPD with any information. We have a go-fund-me toprovide a reward for information about his disappearance: https://bit.ly/40Effsk.

Kainalu Higbee (right) has been missing on Maui since Moy 2022. He hos on identicol twin brother, Ko'unalu (left). - Courtesy Photos