Missing girl's swimsuit found

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — A floral-print swimsuit bottom belonging to 8-year-old Elizabeth Brown was found in the surf yesterday about a half-mile up the coast from where she and her father were swept over a Kipahulu waterfall Thursday.

The discovery by Haleakala National Park rangers supports a growing belief that Louisville, Ky., schoolteacher Kevin Brown, 39, and his daughter were washed out to sea, said Sharon Ringsven, park spokeswoman.

No one has survived the plunge over 184-foot Makahiku Falls, park officials said.

Searches of the famed 'Ohe'o pools downstream by rangers in snorkeling gear yesterday found no sign of the Browns.

Brown and his daughter were swept over the falls in a flash flood described as a 6-foot wall of water. Brown's wife, Holly, and 11-year-old son, Clayton, saw it happen.

Family members confirmed that the skirted bottom with a blue, pink and yellow floral print belonged to Elizabeth Brown.

"It was pretty hard on the family," Ringsven said.

The swimsuit was found in the shorebreak north of 'Ohe'o Gulch in what was going to be the final search of the coast, she said.

After the discovery a decision was made to conduct another search of the coast this morning at low tide. If nothing is found, the formal search will be considered completed. After that, rangers will check the coastal area once a day for a week.

"There's a chance they could be found lodged in a some nook or cranny somewhere along the stream, but that's highly unlikely at this point," Ringsven said.

Holly and Clayton Brown, and Kevin Brown's parents remained on Maui yesterday but were expected to return to Louisville in the next few days.

They originally were scheduled to return home Saturday, but Maui authorities helped place them in temporary accommodations during the search.