Source: US FBI
The morgue had multiple stations for fingerprints, DNA processing by a private company, and dental collection. Because some remains were co-mingled, anthropologists from universities also responded. ERT members and Johnson were also joined at the morgue by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office’s Rapid Deployment Team to provide security there and at the Family Assistance Center.
Victim specialists Miranda Adkins and Veronica Cordova from the FBI’s Honolulu Division brought their crisis expertise to support grieving families at shelters and the Family Assistance Center, a one-stop shop offering hot meals and information about housing, medical, and financial services.
Their initial job was to provide “culturally sensitive crisis intervention and emotional support to families,” said Adkins, a licensed clinical social worker. Hawaii has a diverse population that includes many cultures. The victim specialists comforted bereft relatives as they completed extensive paperwork about the unaccounted for and gave DNA swabs.
“We worked closely with other local agencies. This was definitely a team effort,” said Cordova. “Maui is dear to me. I often stayed in Lahaina, so making the drive to see what was left was heart-wrenching.”
By August 18, some DNA matches of the deceased had been returned, and it was time to make next-of-kin death notifications. Many of the families the FBI visited for the notifications had previously met Adkins and Cordova at the Family Assistance Center. This familiarity helped when it came time to deliver grim news.
They traveled to relatives’ homes with an officer from Maui PD or Honolulu PD and chaplains to provide “wraparound support,” said Adkins. “We wanted the next of kin to feel they were emotionally supported with a team approach through such a difficult situation.”
Victim specialists assist with death notifications through planning, preparation, delivery, and follow-up with compassionate and direct communication. As part of the follow-up process, Adkins and Cordova shared mental health resources, and the FBI’s support to these families continues.
Help is still needed to identify unaccounted for individuals who may have been impacted by the wildfires.
Maui PD has released the names of those still unaccounted for and has asked the public to assist in information related to the unaccounted for individuals.
The FBI has stood up a seeking information questionnaire. Please complete this form if:
- You have information about a listed unaccounted for person.
- You are related to an unaccounted for person and would like to provide a DNA sample.
- You would like to report a person who is still unaccounted for and could be a potential victim of the wildfires but is not yet listed.
Additionally, if you are aware of anyone who is still unaccounted for, whether they are on the published list or not, please contact Maui PD at (808) 244-6400 or email unaccounted@mpd.net to complete a missing persons report.
If you are an immediate family member (parent, sibling, or child) of an individual you believe is still unaccounted for, live on Maui, and want to provide a DNA sample to assist with the identification process, please call 808-270-7771.
If you live outside of Maui and would like to submit a DNA sample, please complete the questionnaire or contact the FBI at 808-566-4300 and you will receive instructions on how you may provide your DNA in this effort.