Last night, just hours after the body was found off the 'Aiea Loop Trail, Morales and a friend placed a tiny Christmas tree and lighted two candles at the foot of a large sign near the 11-year-old girl's Pu'uwai Momi home. The sign had pleaded, "Please help us bring Kahealani home."

"We wanted to give our prayers and blessings to the family," said Morales, who has a 12-year-old daughter. "If it was my daughter, I would be devastated, too. We just wanted to show them that we care."

The sign was one of many that friends and family of Kahealani had displayed since Thursday, two days after she was last seen.

As word filtered through the public housing complex yesterday afternoon about the body, many of the signs were abandoned and littered the housing complex.

Students at 'Aiea Elementary tie yellow ribbons on the school fence in honor of schoolmate Kahealani Indreginal, who was missing since Tuesday. A body believed to be Kahealani was discovered yesterday. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Loud cries could be heard from Kahealani's second-floor apartment. Many family members rushed out of the home, looking for a way to vent their emotions.

Self said he tried to reassure the family that the investigation was not closed.

"I don' think they really fully understand it," he said. "It's not a believable thing right now."

Self joined the force in 1968 and has worked in the Missing Persons Detail for 14 years. He will retire Dec. 30 and although he has been involved in many cases, he said he never gets "used to it."

"I always hope for the best," Self said. "This hits close to home because I have granddaughters that same age."