Posted on: Thursday, January 17, 2002

Child's kidnapping report just a hoax

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 12-year-old girl who told police she was kidnapped from a Kapolei bus stop by a knife-wielding man on Monday recanted her story yesterday.

CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department said that based on new information yesterday afternoon "no kidnapping occurred in the Kapolei area as was initially reported."

Honolulu CrimeStoppers coordinator detective Letha DeCaires said she didn't know what led the girl to report the false kidnapping.

DeCaires said there is no Kapolei kidnapper and the "Kapolei community can be put at ease."

In the false kidnapping report, the Kapolei girl told police she had been waiting for a bus about 2:45 p.m. at the corner of Kapolei Parkway and Kama'aha Avenue when a man in a two-door gray vehicle stopped, showed her a knife and told her to get inside the vehicle. She told police she escaped when he stopped the car at a bus stop.

The kidnapping story alarmed the girl's school, Kapolei Middle School, which is near the bus stop, and prompted school officials to alert staff, students, parents and other schools to take precautions.

In addition, worried parents called the school and wanted to know where their children should wait for after-school rides. Convinced of the girl's report, police also drew a detailed sketch of the so-called kidnapper and released it to the media .

Annette Nishikawa, the Kapolei Middle School principal, learned of the false kidnapping report last night and said: "I'm glad there is no kidnapper stalking our kids."

Nishikawa said she felt that the school acted appropriately in alerting people and taking precautions after they were informed by police. She also said the safety tips discussed with the school's 1,400 students still apply to everyday situations.