Paperwork hold-up

An elderly homeless woman found on the streets of Honolulu is yet to be formally identified.

The woman, aged about 80, is believed to be New Zealander Ethel Helmbright. She is understood to have lived rough in bushes for a decade before being hospitalised when she fell ill last August.

Colleen Helmbright, from Opotiki, who believes she is Ethel's niece, said yesterday the state public guardian appointed in Honolulu to act for Ethel has told the family that DNA testing and possibly fingerprint testing would be needed to confirm her identity.

- NZPA