Alaska News

As Kenai police, FBI search for family, mother's sister describes last contact

As Kenai police and the FBI continued to search Monday for Rebecca Adams, her two young children and her boyfriend -- all of whom mysteriously disappeared from their Kenai apartment in late May -- Adams' sister recounted her last conversation with the missing mother.

Lt. David Ross, spokesperson for the Kenai Police Department, said Monday there was "definitely heightened concern on their missing status," and that the police department was "pouring a lot of resources" into the investigation.

"We don't have enough to say that foul play is involved right now," Ross said. "We're going down all avenues of the investigation."

Adams, 22, her children, 5-year-old Michelle Hundley and 3-year-old Jaracca Hundley, and her boyfriend Brandon Jividen, 37, have not been seen or heard from since May 27, KPD Sgt. Scott McBride said Saturday. McBride said neighbors and the family's landlord called police to ask for a welfare check, and officers discovered them gone from their apartment on May 31.

The Kenai Police Department asked for the FBI's assistance on Saturday, said Steve Forrest, supervisory special agent at the Anchorage FBI office.

"The major reason for our involvement in this particular matter is the age of the children and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their disappearance," Forrest said.

Forrest wasn't sure how many agents were assigned to the case but said it was a "significant" number for the relatively small FBI office.

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Alaska Search and Rescue Dogs and Mat-Su Search and Rescue Dogs were scouting trails and wooded areas surrounding the neighborhood where the family lives, Ross said. An Alaska State Troopers helicopter was also being used to search the area.

Rebecca Adams' sister, Lanell Adams, said Monday that she last spoke with her sister over Memorial Day weekend. They were planning on using Skype to chat so Rebecca, who was "like a second mom" to Lanell's kids, could see them. At the last minute, Rebecca called and said "Hey, I gotta go," Lanell said, but wouldn't explain the sudden change of plans.

The pair were always truthful with each other, Lanell said, and growing up would often say "thou shall not lie" as a way to make the other tell the truth.

Lanell asked Rebecca, "Thou shall not lie -- are you OK?"

Rebecca responded, "Don't ask me that right now," and added, "Just know that I love you," Lanell said.

After that, Lanell called their mother, Jeanine Adams, who went to check on Rebecca. "It looked like she had been crying," Lanell said, but Rebecca "just blamed it on hormones or whatever."

Lanell said her sister's disappearance is "extremely" out of character. She said Rebecca was a "very responsible mom."

At Rebecca Adams' Kenai apartment, "the vehicles are still there, all the belongings are still there," Lanell Adams said. "It's very, very strange."

Lanell said she had met Rebecca's boyfriend Jividen once, using Skype. The children's biological father was killed two years ago in a motorcycle accident, she said.

Lanell, who lives in Washington state, flew to Alaska last week. For now, the family is meeting at Lanell's grandmother's house every day, and they are going to the police station every day, Lanell said.

The Adams family was "afraid," Lanell said, and had no idea what might have happened. She urged people to "keep their eyes open" and that "any little tip" may help to locate the family.

The police department is hoping to speak with people who knew the family well, "knew their habits" or had spoken with them in the last month, Ross said.

Community members living in the area of Wildwood Drive, California Street, First Street or Second Street and have seen anything suspicious over the last several weeks are also urged to call the department at 907-283-7879, according to a press release sent out Saturday.

By LAUREL ANDREWS

laurel@alaskadispatch.com

Laurel Andrews

Laurel Andrews was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in October 2018.

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