Missing N.D. Mother Feared to Be Victim of Human Trafficking in North Texas

A North Dakota mother of three who has been missing since November is feared to be the victim of human trafficking in North Texas.

Kara Lynn Mauai was least seen on Nov. 8 in either Carrolton or Dallas, according to flyers. Her family has been searching for her ever since. It’s unclear why she’s believed to have ended up in Texas.

“There has been multiple tips that have come in, all of which have been investigated. But the fact still remains — she is still missing and was last seen in Selfridge, North Dakota,” Mauai’s mother, Karen Lynn Silva, wrote in a Facebook group called “Bring Kara Home.”

On Tuesday, Mauai’s family announced that the investigation would be shifting its focus from North and South Dakota to Texas, where they fear the 30-year-old is a victim of human trafficking.

“Kara may be seeking shelter at homeless shelters, churches, soup kitchens, etc. in that area. Kara is a 30-year-old Native American and Polynesian with a light complexion but may have the appearance of a younger white female,” her family writes in the post.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs/Office of Justice Service is assisting with the investigation.

Mauai is the mother of two boys and one girl, and a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She is described by her family as standing 5 feet 3 inches tall, and she weighs about 130 pounds with brown eyes and brown curly hair. She has a star tattoo on the inside of her left wrist and the name “Ikaika” tattooed on the inside of her right wrist.

A fundraiser has been started to help Mauai’s family cover costs for the search. So far it has raised a little more than $1,600 of its $2,500 goal.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact BIA Police at 701-854-7241.