The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are actively searching in Long Island for 62-year-old Jane Harding and her daughter Melissa Hui, 34.

Ms Hui has rarely missed a day at work, except for illness, since starting her job six years ago, so colleagues thought it strange and worrisome when she didn’t call or come in on Wednesday morning.

Ms Hui has worked at Long Island Petroleum since 2014 and the gas station’s manager, Sharmaine Knowles, said the missing woman is nothing other than a “stellar employee”.

After several calls to Ms Hui with no answer, Ms Knowles said she called police to inform them that this was potentially a missing person’s case.

When officers searched Ms Hui’s home, they also discovered that her mother could not be found, Ms Knowles told The Tribune. Ms Harding hardly ever left the house without her daughter.

“We are all in disbelief and extremely upset,” Ms Knowles said Thursday when this newspaper contacted her. “We are praying they can be located.”

On Thursday, Royal Bahamas Police Force press liaison officer, Superintendent Shanta Knowles confirmed that Ms Hui’s car and personal belongings were also still at the house she shared with her mother at Salt Pond, Long Island.

“…Police on Long Island at the Deadman’s Cay Police Station received reports that two women – a mother and daughter – were missing,” Supt Knowles told reporters.

“What they found out was that one of the women was supposed to show up for work and she didn’t. Her concerned employers sent co-workers to her house to check on her and they discovered that while the vehicle was there and properties were there, valuables were there, (but) they were not seen.”

She continued: “This prompted police and the good residents of Salt Pond, Long Island, and, of course, the whole community of Long Island to search for the women.

“They’ve been searching using the assistance of boats, searching the shoreline and of course at one point they had a dog, which was assisting them. So far nothing has turned up, they have not turned up.

“This morning (yesterday) the officers and residents of Long Island are back in the Salt Pond area again continuing to search via boat and on land hoping that we can find these women and bring them back home safely.”

Supt Knowles said police did not want to jump to conclusions as to whether foul play was suspected.

“Investigators will keep looking to see if there is anything to be overly concerned about. We are talking to persons who know them very well to determine if they had medical conditions, anything that could lead us in the right direction.

“At this time we can’t say that foul play is suspected,” she told reporters.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police in Long Island or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8475).