In the days leading up to his second birthday, young Rowan Grey Makana Fehring Dingwall was at his family's home in Kauai County, Hawaii, surrounded by people who loved him. He lived with his parents, Aurora Solveig Fehring Dingwall and Alan Gareth Dingwall, on a picturesque six-acre property. The family was hosting several guests in March 2006: Daniel Arroyo, his pregnant fiancée Christina Michelle MacNees, and Timothy Noonan.
A wedding was being planned for Arroyo and MacNees, and a birthday celebration was anticipated for Rowan. Aurora's business partner, Carl Rotstein, was also present, set to be the best man at the upcoming nuptials. The atmosphere was one of joyful anticipation, a gathering of friends and family for momentous occasions.
This scene of impending celebration turned to tragedy on the morning of March 14, 2006. After a relentless forty days of rain, the historic Kaloko Dam breached, unleashing an estimated 400 million gallons of water upon the community below. The immense wall of water swept through the Dingwall's property, carrying away everyone who was there. In the aftermath, a devastating search and recovery effort began. The bodies of Rowan's parents, Alan and Aurora, were eventually found, along with the body of Christina MacNees. However, Rowan, who was just 23 months old with light brown hair and blue eyes, was never located. Also lost and never recovered were Daniel Arroyo, Timothy Noonan, and Carl Rotstein.
The investigation into the catastrophic dam failure revealed that the century-old structure, owned by prominent businessman James Pflueger, had allegedly not been properly maintained or inspected for years. Authorities found that the dam's spillway, a crucial safety feature, had been covered, which contributed to the disaster. This led to a grand jury indicting Pflueger on charges of manslaughter and reckless endangerment. Years later, in a plea agreement, Pflueger pleaded guilty to a felony charge of reckless endangerment, while his company took responsibility for the manslaughter charges. For the families and the community, the legal proceedings were a long and painful chapter in a story of profound loss. The case of Rowan Dingwall is a heartbreaking account of a life cut tragically short by a preventable disaster; he and three others who vanished in the flood are presumed to have drowned, their bodies never found.Last Seen: Mar 14, 2006
