Frantic Search Effort For Loma Linda Girl Ends In Safe Return

LOMA LINDA, CA — An 11-year-old girl who disappeared from her bedroom in the middle of the night has been found safe and will be reunited with her family, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department announced Monday.

Leativa Nua’s safe return ends a frantic search involving a helicopter, police dogs and her family fanning out through the community handing out flyers in a desperate effort to bring her home safely.

"We are beyond relieved and grateful to share that Leativa is safe and has been admitted for care at our local Loma Linda hospital," family announced. "Leativa was found by some of our residents at approximately 11PM and immediately called 911. There are no words to express our gratitude to our community for responding in our time of need. There are a million horrible scenarios that went through our minds yesterday during our search, and as it turns out, our daughter Leativa left our house without the aid of anyone else. She is distraught and extremely saddened, and we have welcomed the assistance of many professionals to identify and address any issues that our daughter is going through and also commit to providing the best family and home environment for her and the rest of our children to grow up happy and healthy.

"Throughout yesterday, our faith was tested many times as the seconds passed without finding our daughter Leativa, but we were overwhelmed with kindness and LOVE, and we have been blessed with an amazing support group: our families and friends that drove from all over Southern California to help us search for Leativa, our families, friends and strangers from all over the world that worked the social media channels to share our pleas for help while holding a zoom prayer vigil throughout the day into night yesterday."

Read the family's full statement on Facebook.

The ordeal began when the girl's mother discovered her gone from her bed Sunday morning under frightening circumstances.

With the full household still asleep, Leativa Nua’s mother was heading out to the store to buy milk for a pancake breakfast when she looked up and saw that her daughter’s second-story window screen had been torn out. She raced inside and found her daughter’s bed empty. Her child’s cut hair lay upon the mattress, said Christina Lutu-Sanchez, Leativa’s aunt.

The family had recently moved to the area from Honolulu so Leativa's mother could study medicine at Loma Linda University. They knew few people in their new community and had no idea what could have happened to Leativa. Since moving to Loma Linda, Leativa had been unable to attend school in-person due to the pandemic, and all her friends were back in Honolulu.

Her parents immediately called police and began handing out flyers around the community asking for help finding Leativa as a police helicopter searched overhead.

After more than 12 hours, their ordeal came to an end late Sunday with Leativa's safe return.

"Missing 11-year-old Tiva Lutu-Luapitosaua has been found safe and will be reunited with her family," said sheriff's department Public Information Officer Cindy Bachman.

Authorities released no additional details about Leativa’s disappearance or recovery.

The had department mounted a massive search effort to find her Sunday.

"Deputies have been searching for the young girl using patrol deputies, K-9's and a sheriff’s helicopter," Bachman said Sunday. "The information has been shared with all surrounding law enforcement agencies, and a Child is Missing Alert has been activated. Deputies are contacting residents in the area, and flyers are being posted."

Leativa’s aunt described her as a happy child, spoiled as the only girl in a house full of brothers. Because of the pandemic, she had yet to attend school locally to make new friends in the community.

Her disappearance shattered her close-knit family, who blanketed the community with flyers and begged neighbors for help.

“It was a house full of people in a quiet neighborhood. You just don’t expect this,” said Lutu-Sanchez. “We have had all sorts of things thrown at us this year including cancer. We have a huge network of family that is very supportive, but there is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for something like this.”

But Leativa has a large family there to support one another through tough times, said her aunt.