Starting items for investigator not available
If the items are unavailable, the new investigator cannot take them.

From the official errata &amp; FAQ:


  Q. What happens if a new investigator’s starting possessions are
  being used by another investigator?
  
  A. When a player chooses a new investigator, he receives
  that investigator’s starting possessions from the decks,
  discard piles, or reserve. If the starting possessions are not
  in these places, such as if another investigator or a defeated
  investigator has them, the new investigator does not start
  with those possessions.