Police have found the missing 15-year-old girl who was allegedly taken from a Hawaii beach after convincing the suspected kidnapper to take her to a restaurant.
Mikella Debina’s quick thinking has thankfully led to her recovery as police announced the arrest of suspected abductor Duncan Mahi.
The missing girl’s mother said that she was able to escape her alleged captor after convincing him to take her to a restaurant.
At the restaurant, she tried to get out of the car prompting the suspect to try and stop her.
Another man witnessed the event and was able to get Mikella away and to safety, reports stated.
Video from Hawaii News Now shows the emotional reaction of family and supporters as her mother delivered the news of her recovery to a nearby crowd.
Police announced in a statement that they captured suspect Duncan Mahi in Hilo.
Officials initially said Mahi is a 52-year-old male who stands at 5 feet 11 inches weighing around 215 pounds.
He was last seen on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo at approximately 11.24am and might be operating a 2011 White Honda CRV bearing Hawaii license plate ZAE959.
Mahi’s arrest comes after Mikella was allegedly kidnapped at knifepoint earlier on Saturday at the beach in Anaehoomalu Bay while she was with her boyfriend.
Mikella’s aunt Lauren told Hawaii News now her niece and her boyfriend were at the beach when a suspect approached them.
She said the girl was forced to tie up her boyfriend before she was abducted.
She said: “He had my niece tie up her boyfriend, blindfold him, and then took her.”
She added that police detected a signal from the teenager’s phone near the Kona airport about 20 miles away.
A bag with her dress inside was also found nearby.
Police said they are still investigating this incident.