HONOLULU — Abigail Charity Bernstein and her two young sons reportedly boarded a boat with its captain in October 2022 at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor and have never been seen or heard from since, the FBI says.
The FBI held a news conference Thursday at its Kapolei headquarters, asking for any tips from the public that might aid them in finding the missing family. Bernstein, who went on board to help perform work on the vessel, would now be 33. Kush Kohole Bernstein would now be 8, and Koa Kai Bernstein would be 11.
But why is the FBI only now asking for the public’s help since they disappeared nearly two years ago?
The FBI has reached a dead end in this case.
FBI Honolulu’s Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill said the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the FBI in 2023 after witnesses reported seeing the family get onto the boat at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, and although the captain was seen returning with the boat, the family did not return.
After no activity or updates, the FBI saw the need to increase publicity, especially because “two minors are involved, and we have an interest in protecting them,” Merrill said.
FBI agents have interviewed various witnesses, family members and others, including the boat captain, who said the family got seasick and departed his vessel by unknown means, possibly another vessel, but that has not been substantiated, an FBI spokeswoman said. The FBI did not disclose the captain’s name.
Merrill said the FBI does not know whether foul play is involved. There had been no indication anything was wrong at the time. It was thought that they were leaving the state.
Merrill said the boat captain is a person of interest but has not been arrested or charged with any crime.
The FBI also interviewed Vander D. Nelson, a man who Bernstein was afraid of, according to court minutes.
Merrill described Abigail Bernstein as someone who “lived a nomadic lifestyle,” “lived off the grid,” cut ties with her family and terminated her last known cellphone service in November 2022, a month after getting on the boat, and whose sons did not attend school.
Merrill said the family has been cooperative with the FBI, but he did not know what caused her to cut ties with her family.
Bernstein’s parents live on Maui, and she also has other connections on Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i and Maui. She has other family members living on the mainland, with ties to California; Naples, Florida; Petoskey, Michigan; and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
But could it be that Bernstein was also trying to hide from someone, rather than simply living a “nomadic lifestyle.”
Court records show Bernstein filed for and obtained two temporary restraining orders against Nelson.
The last petition for a TRO was filed Oct. 29, 2019, on Maui. There was no proof of service of the TRO on Nelson until five months later.
Court minutes dated March 16, 2020, say that “petitioner requests to dismiss the petition. She feels safe since he’s not on the island. The court will leave TRO in place until it expires.”
The last entry, on March 27, 2020, in the minutes says the TRO was served March 25, 2020, on Nelson.
The documents in this case were not accessible on the Judiciary’s website Thursday.
Nelson, 36, has one Hawai‘i conviction on July 11, 2013, for failure to appear, a petty misdemeanor, for which he was fined $100.
Bernstein was cited in 2018 for unauthorized camping on the shoreline in Olowalu, Maui.
The citation lists her as 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds; she told police she was a stay-at-home mother.
Bernstein also goes by the names Abi, Avi, Avigayil, Abigayil and Ovi.
Anyone with information on the Bernstein family’s whereabouts is urged to call 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). You also can contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
