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Missing Iwilei
toddler located
in Chinatown
The child was reported
By Rod Ohira
missing after she was
not brought home
Star-BulletinA missing Iwilei toddler, found today in Chinatown, will be turned over to Child Protective Services.
Two-year-old Kimberly Mimes was located on a Beretania Street bridge between Aala and River streets shortly before 9 a.m. and appears to be uninjured, said officer Joe Self of the police Missing Persons Detail.
Kimberly, seated in a stroller, was with 48-year-old Lodaynia "Daynia" Barros. Leroy Kemp, who reported the child missing yesterday, said he placed her in Barros' care Saturday morning.
"There's no apparent signs of abuse," Self said. "Now we have to determine who is the baby's legal guardian."Police know the tot has been living with Kemp at his Akepo Lane apartment for several weeks, but are trying to find out what his relationship is to the child. He has told police he is not her biological father.
The girl's mother, also named Kimberly Mimes, was being questioned at the main police station.
Kemp, 42, and Barros were arrested on outstanding warrants.
Police may seek to charge Kemp, Barros and the mother with endangering the welfare of a minor.
"Right now, it doesn't appear that any one of them is able to care for the child," Self said. "I don't feel she's safe with any one of them."
Self, who began cruising downtown shortly after arriving to work at 6:30 a.m., found what he was looking for at about 8:30 a.m. "While checking the streets at College Walk and Beretania, I ran into (Barros), (Kemp) and the baby," said Self, who noted that police had received numerous calls yesterday about the woman and child being downtown.
Barros had been staying with Kemp for about four days before the child's disappearance, Self said.
Kemp told police Barros left with the toddler at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday to go to the Drug Addiction Services of Hawaii office and never returned, Self said.
