Teen possibly lured away by online buddy, took home computer
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
A 14-year-old Kane'ohe girl who ran away from home may have been lured away by someone she met on the Internet, according to her family and officials with the Missing Child Center-Hawai'i.
The family of Shantell Ng, a Castle High School freshman, said the girl has been missing since Nov. 17, when she was last seen at home around 6 a.m. Shantell has no criminal record and has never previously run away from home, family members said.
Shantell Ng, who is 5 feet 6 and weighs 120 pounds, has been missing since Nov. 17.
A police report has been filed, said Margaret Ng, Shantell's grandmother.
Dayna Ng, Shantell's mother, said her daughter had just switched schools and had few friends. She said Shantell spent all of her free time at home, on her computer.
"She was on the Internet 24/7," Dayna Ng said. "She had friends on the Internet."
Renette Parker, interim coordinator of the Missing Child Center-Hawai'i, said Shantell may have been lured away by someone she met online. Parker said Shantell took the family computer and printer when she disappeared.
"My antennae went up because she took the computer," Parker said. "Other children have been lured away before but they have never taken the computer. We can't even see who she was talking to."
Parker said because of all the missing computer equipment, it was clear that someone came and got Shantell. In addition to the equipment, two 'ukulele, cash, clothes and a tennis bracelet were taken from the Ng home, family members said.
"She couldn't have gotten on a city bus," Parker said.
Parker said almost 99 percent of kids missing in the state are runaways.
Runaways make up the largest number of missing children each year, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, followed by lost or injured children and family abductions.
Shantell is 5 feet 6 and weighs 120 pounds. Anyone with information regarding Shantell can contact the Hawai'i Missing Child Center at 586-1449.
Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.
