HI HI - Benjamin "Benny" Rapoza, 6, autistic, non-verbal, Hilo, 20 Dec 2019

[rosesfromangels]

I think we are all well aware of the time clock ticking....
He could still be amongst us, and as many volunteers are needed as LE will permit. With the rain, it reinforces my idea that he is hunkered down somewhere but must be very very hungry.

My prayers for this little sweetie, and those searching for him!
E ka Haku Iesu, e mālama i kēia keiki liʻiliʻi a hoʻihoʻi iā ia i ka home. Ma kou inoa hoʻāno mākou e pule nei!

Amateur opinion and speculation only

 

[cass523]

Updated December 23 at 4:47 PM

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Calmer ocean conditions Monday allowed divers to join the search for a missing 6-year-old boy on the Big Island.

Garrett Kim, Hawaii Fire Department special operations chief, said five divers are focusing on an area about a quarter mile offshore.

Also Monday, volunteers broadened their search on land for Rapoza, venturing into dense forests in the area and playing his favorite tune, the theme song from “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

HPD Capt. Greg Esteban said the boy went missing after their family visited a home in Keaukaha. He added that there were indications that he was in the back of the property, near the water.

Rescuers and Rapoza’s relatives have also been searching for him non-stop.
"I’ve been out here since last night, I didn’t go home yet. Walked until 3 this morning. No signs or anything of him yet,” said Benny’s uncle Rico Rapoza, in an interview over the weekend.

“We continue to hold out hope that we’ll be able to find him,” he said. “We’re allocating as much resources, as much personnel as we can."


Divers join search for missing 6-year-old Big Island boy

 

[HayLouise]

UPDATE for Tuesday Dec. 24 at 2:30pm

The Search for Benny continues. Volunteers have now been coordinating line sweeps in an effort to cover more ground as the search continues.

The hub will remain open for the remainder of the day if anyone would like to participate, check in is at 2135 Kalanianaole Ave.

Current weather is partly cloudy with some blue skies but the wind is beginning to pick up, so be sure to dress warm if you plan to assist in the search.

At this time the family is not asking for any donations and a go fund me has not been created yet. We will update you folks if and when one is made, the family asks to respect their privacy at this time.

We ask that you continue to keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers as Christmas Eve is upon us and we look forward to bringing him home to celebrate.

We will provide more updates as information becomes available

Mahalo



Find Benjamin Rapoza

 

[lucky181]

Police Suspend Search for Benny Rapoza

"Police notified the family before making the announcement.

The extensive search, which was a multi-agency air, land and sea effort, yielded no results for Rapoza. Community and family members island-wide have assisted in the search, the release said."

https://bigislandnow.com/2019/12/24/police-suspend-search-for-benny-rapoza/

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Police Suspend Search for Benny Rapoza

"Police notified the family before making the announcement.

The extensive search, which was a multi-agency air, land and sea effort, yielded no results for Rapoza. Community and family members island-wide have assisted in the search, the release said."

https://bigislandnow.com/2019/12/24/police-suspend-search-for-benny-rapoza/

Whyyyy did they suspend the search??!?

 

[HayLouise]

3 hours ago:

We’re still here!

Volunteers, family and friends will remain active and continue our search efforts.

https://www.facebook.com/105449797632180/posts/108557813988045/

 

[lucky181]

Whyyyy did they suspend the search??!?

"County personnel generally searches for missing persons for three days before calling off a rescue mission. Monday marks day three in the search for Rapoza."
https://bigislandnow.com/2019/12/23/search-for-missing-hilo-boy-enters-third-day/

"HPD Capt. Greg Esteban said the boy went missing while their family visited the home of a family friend. He added that there were indications that he was in the back of the property, near the water.

Police said while they’ve suspended their active search, the investigation into Rapoza’s disappearance is continuing and they’re still taking tips."

Big Island police suspend search for missing 6-year-old

I haven't been reading all the articles but this one mentions that authorities believe he was at the shoreline. The Coast Guard dropped buoys in so that they could track where someone in the water would go. Sadly not everyone is found after falling in.

 

[HayLouise]

UPDATE for Dec. 25 at 11am

State & county officials have suspended their search for Benny but we as family and volunteers continue our efforts to bring Benny home.

Here’s this mornings line formation search.

The hub is now open for anyone that would like to volunteer.

We will provide more updates as information becomes available, mahalo!



Find Benjamin Rapoza

 

[abr]

Bumping

 

[kaen]

I understand the limited search time but my heart aches for this boy to be lost and not found.

 

[GraceG]

Even if last seen outside of a home wearing nothing but a diaper the temperatures in Hilo are quite survivable. I'm thinking searchers may believe he went into the water. Prayers for his family.

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

I understand the limited search time but my heart aches for this boy to be lost and not found.

Ditto. And for Benny’s family.

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Even if last seen outside of a home wearing nothing but a diaper the temperatures in Hilo are quite survivable. I'm thinking searchers may believe he went into the water. Prayers for his family.

Agreed on everything you said. The weather is the first thing I looked up.

 

[lucky181]

The fact that the officials seemed to be concentrating on the water with divers, helicopters searching the shorelines and the Coast Guard releasing buoys to track the currents point to the most likely thought that he fell into the water. I would think that this has been discussed with Benny's family but I can't imagine how awful it would be to not find him.

A few years ago two mainland students with a teen age adventure group were swept into the ocean near Kealakekua Bay. Two guides went into the water but were able to rescue only one boy. Even though people saw the other boy go in at a specific location, his body was never found

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Sharks. Tiger sharks are especially known for attacks in Hawaii. And Tiger sharks are known as being the garbage cans of the ocean. Not that humans are garbage but they do eat mostly everything. Most sharks don’t eat skulls but Tiger sharks do, among other things (license plates, tires, etc..). I could go on & on about sharks bc they are my “narrowed” interest that I have an enormous amount of useless knowledge about, since I was about 6, but I won’t.

I don’t mean to sound crass or insensitive. And I would really rather not think that that happened to Benny.

The fact that the officials seemed to be concentrating on the water with divers, helicopters searching the shorelines and the Coast Guard releasing buoys to track the currents point to the most likely thought that he fell into the water. I would think that this has been discussed with Benny's family but I can't imagine how awful it would be to not find him.

A few years ago two mainland students with a teen age adventure group were swept into the ocean near Kealakekua Bay. Two guides went into the water but were able to rescue only one boy. Even though people saw the other boy go in at a specific location, his body was never found

 

[ChatteringBirds]

MOO Please let's be careful. Family and friends of victims do read here sometimes.

To those still searching, wishing you well.

 

[cass523]

Updated December 26 at 4:00 PM

"Volunteers once again walked the Keaukaha shoreline Thursday in the search for missing 6-year-old Benny Rapoza.

Searchers say they covered a lot of ground Christmas Day, with around nine sweeps. They say groups of hunters have joined in to help look for Benny, who has nonverbal autism."

Volunteers continue search for missing 6-year-old on Big Island

 

[MsFacetious]

December 26 - 6:30pm

We are asking for any professional divers who would like to volunteer in the search, to meet at leleiwi (waiolena) at 8:30am if you’d like to help.

We will also be doing a group prayer circle tomorrow at the hub (2135 Kalanianaole Ave) at 5pm

Find Benjamin Rapoza

 

[MsFacetious]

Here are several other things I picked up reading there that were shared in an effort to help in the search:

Benny is a twin, he was the bigger of the twins.
He went missing on his/their 6th BIRTHDAY.
I hadn't noticed that before even though it was right there.

Have you seen this child? BENJAMIN RAPOZA

He loves gummies.
He can't swim well.
He is a climber.
He doesn't hide much.
He loves fresh fruit and Sponge Bob.
He likes to sing "Don't Stop Me Now"

The diaper he was wearing has a planets/space/air theme.
He is not familiar with the area he went missing from as they were just visiting friends and swimming.
The pictures of Benny with the purple towel were taken just hours before he went missing.

The encampments in the area were checked.
They checked places water runs down like houses on stilts or drains.
The only possible sighting mentioned was that same day in King's Landing.

The family appears to refute the claim that he loves the water. Maybe they do not believe that he went into the water... and perhaps LE is putting him into the "everyone with autism loves the water" box. Just an idea.

Find Benjamin Rapoza

 

[unknown402]

No no no no I don’t like this one bit. This reminds me a little of Nora Quoirin just a few months back...special needs with a fascination with water.
Hoping for a different ending he’s so little...