Maleina (pictured here) was last seen at the bus stop near their home in the village of As Tao, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, on May 25, 2011. Also abducted were her sister Foloma.
The FBI is seeking information on a couple of girls who came up missing in the small remote village of As Tao, Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands on May 25, 2011. The girls, ages 9 and 10 were last seen waiting for a school bus to arrive and have not been seen since that time. Their names are Faloma and Maleina Luhk
Maleina was last seen wearing a white blouse and blue jeans.
What is interesting about this particular case is that the FBI released a press release recently asking anyone in the Seattle, Washington area for information on these two girls.
I have been tracking this case since 2011 as well researching missing girls on the Islands going back 8 years to establish a pattern of a possible serial killer or child sex ring operating on the Island.
It is well known that there are numerous human sex trafficking rings operating on the Island during that time frame (and continues today). Oddly as far as I know the FBI is not investigating this angle of the case? Or at least they refuse to say if the are or not…
See article: Child Sex Trafficker Sentenced To 17.5 Years In Federal Prison http://www.justice.gov/usao-gu/pr/child-sex-trafficker-sentenced-175-years-federal-prison
The FBI release issued by the Seattle, Washington FBI office in this case read as follows:
“The Seattle Division is asking Washington residents to consider if they have any bit of information—no matter how small—that might lead to the recovery of two missing girls. There is no specific intelligence suggesting that the girls were taken to Washington, but investigators believe there is a chance that someone here may have helpful information.”
Vida G. Bottom, Special Agent in Charge of the Honolulu Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is actively working the case and seeking the public’s help in providing information regarding missing girls. She can be reached at 1- (808) 566-4300.
Also this week, the FBI announced the release of new age-enhanced photos of the Luhk sisters created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The age-enhanced photos are available at http://www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/1172939.
In addition to Saipan, the FBI is focusing this publicity campaign on Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington State, states with sizable populations originating from the Northern Mariana Islands. Although I personally requested that the search extend to all 5o states, but was never informed if that happened or not?
The disappearance sparked a massive community and law enforcement effort to find the girls. Unfortunately the girls were not reported missing during the first three which are the most critical when trying to locate a missing child.
The FBI is hoping that this latest publicity push and the age-enhanced photos will generate new leads to resolve this case.
I have also been assured that the FBI is still actively working the case, although they declined to say how many agents are assigned to the case.
Note: There has been no request for ransom in this case or indication that the girls were kidnapped by someone they knew. In a “stereotypical” kidnapping case involves someone the child did not know or was an acquaintance with at the time abducting them. In these types of kidnapping cases the child was held overnight, transported 50 miles or more, killed, ransomed or held with the intent to keep the child permanently. Although we can’t rule any of that out at this point.
Anyone with information to provide is asked to call their local FBI office. Or they can call the Department of Public Safety (Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) 1-670-234-6006. Or 1-800- THE -LOST