HONOLULU — The FBI in Honolulu is appealing to the public for assistance in finding Abigail Charity Bernstein and her two young sons, who have been missing since October 2022. According to reports, Bernstein and her children boarded a boat at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor nearly two years ago and have not been seen or heard from since.
The announcement came during a press conference held at the FBI’s Kapolei headquarters on Thursday, where Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill urged anyone with information to come forward. Bernstein, who would now be 33 years old, and her sons, Kush Kohole Bernstein, now 8, and Koa Kai Bernstein, now 11, disappeared after embarking on a boat trip intended for vessel work.
The question many are asking is why the FBI is only now seeking public help in a case that dates back almost two years. According to authorities, the investigation has reached a standstill, prompting the public appeal as a crucial step to generate new leads.
Agent Merrill explained that the U.S. Coast Guard initially contacted the FBI in 2023 after receiving witness accounts of the family boarding a boat at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor. While the boat captain was observed returning with the vessel, Abigail and her sons were not with him. The prolonged silence and lack of any updates have led the FBI to increase the case’s visibility, particularly given that “two minors are involved, and we have an interest in protecting them,” Merrill stated.
FBI agents have conducted extensive interviews with witnesses, family members, and other individuals, including the boat captain. The captain claimed that the family disembarked from his boat due to seasickness, possibly transferring to another vessel by unknown means. However, this account remains unverified. The FBI has not released the captain’s name, but confirmed he is considered a person of interest in the ongoing investigation. He has not been arrested or charged with any crime at this time.
While the FBI is not ruling out foul play, there was no initial indication of anything amiss when the family disappeared. At the time, it was believed they might have been leaving the state.
Investigators have also interviewed Vander D. Nelson, a man with whom Abigail Bernstein had a history and against whom she had previously sought restraining orders, according to court records.
Merrill described Abigail Bernstein as leading a “nomadic lifestyle” and “living off the grid.” She reportedly severed ties with her family and discontinued her last known cellphone service in November 2022, a month after the boat trip. Her sons were not enrolled in school, further indicating a transient way of life. Despite this, Merrill mentioned that Bernstein’s family has been cooperative with the FBI in their search efforts, though the reasons behind her estrangement from her family remain unclear.
Bernstein’s parents reside on Maui, and she maintains connections across the Hawaiian Islands, including Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i, and Maui. Her family network extends to the mainland, with ties to California, Naples, Florida, Petoskey, Michigan, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Adding another layer to the complexity of the case is the possibility that Bernstein may have been intentionally evading someone, rather than simply embracing a “nomadic lifestyle.” Court documents reveal that Bernstein had filed for and obtained two temporary restraining orders against Vander D. Nelson. The most recent petition was filed on Maui in October 2019.
Court minutes from March 2020 indicate that Bernstein requested to dismiss the petition, stating she felt safe as Nelson was no longer on the island. However, the temporary restraining order remained in place until its expiration. Records show Nelson was served with the TRO in March 2020. Details of these court documents were not readily accessible online at the time of the news conference.
Nelson, 36, has a single conviction in Hawai‘i for failure to appear in 2013, a petty misdemeanor. Bernstein herself was cited in 2018 for unauthorized camping on the shoreline in Olowalu, Maui. The citation described her as 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 150 pounds, and she identified herself to police as a stay-at-home mother. Bernstein is also known by several aliases, including Abi, Avi, Avigayil, Abigayil, and Ovi.
The FBI is urging anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of Abigail Bernstein and her sons to contact the FBI’s Honolulu field office at 808-673-2719 or the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324). Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. The smallest piece of information could be crucial in helping to locate this missing family.
