Hawai‘i police investigate apparent drowning of Idaho woman

Hawai‘i Island police are investigating the possible drowning of an Idaho woman along the shoreline of South Kohala that occurred last week.

On Friday at 5:57 p.m., officers responded to a report of a female swimmer, later identified as 72-year-old Joann Butler, of Boise, Idaho, face down and unresponsive in shallow water at Makaiwa Beach off Kaniku Place.

Upon arrival, officers found bystanders performing CPR and Hawai‘i Fire Department medics were summoned. The woman was taken to Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital but she remained unresponsive and was pronounced dead at 8:55 p.m.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.