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Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Yahoo
Death of Laie girl, 11, included in 2024 state child abuse report
COURTESY PHOTO Adoptive mother Sina Pumehana Pili, 39, is seen in this mugshot. COURTESY PHOTO Adoptive mother Sina Pumehana Pili, 39, is seen in this mugshot. The torture and killing of an 11-year-old Laie girl with learning disabilities, allegedly at the hands of her adoptive mother, was flagged by the state Department of Human Services in its 2024 Child Fatality Report. The state report does not name Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, but multiple sources told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the girl, who was adopted two months before her death on Dec. 22, 2023, was one of the five child fatalities determined to be due to child maltreatment, according to the report covering the states 2024 fiscal year. The girl was in the custody of another family two months before she was adopted and allegedly beaten, neglected and killed by Sina Pumehana Pili, 39, a behavioral health specialist and senior class adviser at Kahuku High and Intermediate School. Pili was arrested on campus Friday and charged with manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport. Every child deserves to be safe, and protecting the well-being of children is at the core of everything we do at Child Welfare Services. We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of this child and join the community in mourning, read a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser from the DHS Child Welfare Services Branch. CWS works with its law enforcement partners and respects the need for confidentiality as the investigation in the case continues. Please know that CWS is fully committed to protecting children and taking appropriate action when concerns arise. Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility, and we encourage everyone to report any suspected abuse or neglect. Honolulu police said Pili-Ah You had multiple injuries from child abuse, including deep bruising all over her body, bite marks, two broken ribs, a scalp hemorrhage and evidence of strangulation, and tested positive for COVID-19, flu and pneumonia. The Child Fatality Report noted confirmed physical abuse and that the 11-year-olds death was an intrafamilial harm case. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Pili-Ah You was found unresponsive at home with suspicious injuries consistent with non-accidental trauma, and the states Child Welfare Services Branch had no prior reports of suspected abuse, the report said. The adoptive family did not receive any services from the state in the two months they had the girl because there were no prior reports for caretakers. Four other children in Pili and her husbands care, ages 12, 9, 8, 7, have been placed in protective custody by CWS. Pilis husband has not been arrested, but is under investigation by Honolulu Police Department detectives. The state Department of Education said that following her arrest Friday, Pili was placed on leave pending investigation, effective March 7, which is unpaid for the first 30 days. Kahuku High and Intermediate School Principal Donna Lindsey sent a note to parents Friday letting them know that the school administration is aware of an ongoing law enforcement investigation involving a non-classroom employee. While we understand that this news may be concerning, we want to emphasize that the alleged incident does not involve our school or students. Please be assured that the Hawaii State Department of Education follows strict policies, including comprehensive background checks for all applicants prior to employment, wrote Lindsey in her message, obtained by the Star-Advertiser. We understand that these situations can raise questions and concerns. However, we are unable to discuss any confidential personnel matters, said Lindsey, who urged parents trying to help their child through the moment to call school officials. Like many other parents who adopt children in foster care, Pili and her husband received money every month from the state to help pay expenses for the children they are supposed to protect and nurture. DHS officials are barred by federal law from disclosing any information about the adoption and custody history of Pili-Ah Yous four siblings. Payments to foster parents are based on the childs age, and the rate of pay is the same for adoption assistance or guardianship support : $649 monthly for children up to age 5, $742 monthly for children age 6 to 11 and $776 monthly for children age 12 and older. If a child has special needs, due to a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral problem, additional funds to support the care of the child are available to request, according to DHS. This additional difficulty of care stipend of up to $570 a month is determined on a case-by-case basis by a team that includes a DHS social worker and treating medical professional, depending on the childs needs and the additional time the caregiver spends to meet the childs needs. REPORT CHILD ABUSE Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.—Child abuse and neglect : Call 808-832-5300 on Oahu or toll-free 888-380-3088 on Hawaii island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai.—Child trafficking : Call 808-832-1999 on Oahu or toll-free 888-398-1188 on Hawaii island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
State had ‘unconfirmed' reports of child abuse in Sarai Perez-Rivera's home
COURTESY TIFFANY TEXEIRA Sarai Perez-Rivera COURTESY TIFFANY TEXEIRA Sarai Perez-Rivera The death of 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Rivera was listed among the five Hawaii children who died in fiscal year 2024 due to maltreatment, according to a federally mandated state report. The report says that the family of the 3-year-old girl was engaged in services through a Child Welfare Services diversion program. The 'family had two prior unconfirmed reports of physical abuse /neglect and medical neglect of a different child, ' the report says. The Hawaii Department of Human Services today released the annual Child Fatality Report, mandated by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The report covers the 2024 fiscal year which was from July 1, 2023, through June 30. Physical abuse and neglect of Perez-Rivera have been confirmed, authorities said. On June 13, she was found unresponsive at the family's Kapolei home and taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. 'Child had suspicious injuries that were not consistent with explanations provided by family members, ' the report says. Perez-Rivera's mother, Janae Perez, and her mother's girlfriend, Ashleigh Utley, were indicted this week on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the girl's starvation death, along with other charges related to Sarai and her siblings. They were also indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree attempted assault, kidnapping of Perez's three eldest children, including Sarai, first-degree hindering prosecution, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, two counts of persistent nonsupport, and two counts of abuse of family or household members. RELATED STORY : In a written statement, DHS officials said, 'Ensuring the safety and well-being of children is at the heart of everything we do. We rely on the community to play a vital role in keeping children safe. If you see or hear something concerning—or even if you just have a feeling that something isn't right—please don't hesitate to report it. 'Be as descriptive as possible. Trust your instincts and call the CWS (Child Welfare Services ) hotline or 911 if you believe a child may be at risk of child abuse or neglect. Your call could be the first step in getting a child the help they need. In the statement, DHS officials said the department 'continues to grieve with the community over the loss of this child.' They said they are unable to comment further on the Perez case due to litigation. Perez-Rivera's grandmother, Leah Schnabel, filed a civil lawsuit against DHS on Tuesday.———The CWS hotline is available 24 /7 at 808-832-5300 (Oahu ) or 888-380-3088 (Hawaii Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kauai ). 13 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Grandmother sues the state in keiki's death
COURTESY TIFFANY TEXEIRA Sarai Perez-Rivera died in 2024 of starvation, according to a child death report released Friday. It came on the heels of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by Perez-Rivera's grandmother on behalf of her three surviving grandchildren. 1 /2 COURTESY TIFFANY TEXEIRA Sarai Perez-Rivera died in 2024 of starvation, according to a child death report released Friday. It came on the heels of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by Perez-Rivera's grandmother on behalf of her three surviving grandchildren. COURTESY HPD Janae Perez and Ashleigh Utley 2 /2 COURTESY HPD Janae Perez and Ashleigh Utley COURTESY TIFFANY TEXEIRA Sarai Perez-Rivera died in 2024 of starvation, according to a child death report released Friday. It came on the heels of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by Perez-Rivera's grandmother on behalf of her three surviving grandchildren. COURTESY HPD Janae Perez and Ashleigh Utley The state's Child Welfare Serv ices had received reports of maltreatment within the family of a 3-year-old girl who died in 2024 of starvation, according to a federally mandated report on child deaths released Friday. The information matches some of the details surrounding the June 13 death of Sarai Perez-Rivera, whose mother and her mother's girlfriend were indicted this week on murder, kidnapping and other charges. The family 'had two prior unconfirmed reports of physical abuse /neglect and medical neglect of a different child, ' the report says. The state Department of Human Services on Friday released its annual Child Fatality Report, mandated by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or CAPTA, which lists five Hawaii child deaths in fiscal year 2024. The report provides scant information concerning the five child deaths, listing only each victim's age and gender. DHS generally does not name children involved in such cases due to privacy concerns. The report also says the family of the 3-year-old girl was engaged in serv ices through a CWS 'diversion program.' DHS did not immediately respond to a request Friday afternoon to describe the diversion program. The report comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by Perez-Rivera's grandmother on behalf of her three surviving grandchildren against DHS for allegedly failing 'to act upon or insufficiently acting upon or responding to information obtained.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The release of the report also coincided with Friday's announcement by Honolulu police and the city prosecutor's office of the, 39, for manslaughter in the Dec. 22, 2023, death of her 11-year-old adoptive daughter, who also appears to be mentioned in the report. The prosecutor's office said the timing of the criminal charges was coincidental. The death of a 10-year-old girl also mentioned in the report appears to match the case of Geanna Bradley, who died Jan. 10, 2024, after prolonged abuse, neglect and starvation. The deaths listed in the CAPTA report include an 11-month-old girl who drowned due to lack of supervision. Her family was the subject of seven prior reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. One report of physical neglect and threat of abuse and neglect of older children was confirmed, the report says. The fifth death listed in the report involved a 3-year-old boy who was found unresponsive at home and taken to a hospital with multiple internal injuries not consistent with the family's explanation. In that case there were no prior abuse reports. Perez-Rivera's grandmother, Leah Schnabel, says she tried to protect her four grandchildren from the abuse inflicted upon them. Schnabel called the CWS reporting line to inform the state agency that the children 'had been removed from school, appeared dirty and uncared for, and appeared to be skinny and losing weight, ' according to the civil complaint filed on behalf of her three remaining grandchildren. Schnabel persisted when no action was taken to remove the children from the home of her daughter, Janae Perez, 25, and her daughter's partner of four years, Ashleigh Utley, 34. On March 5, 2024, the children's grandmother telephoned and spoke to a representative of Parents and Children Together, which is a contractor for the state, sharing the same concerns about the children's physical welfare. She called PACT again May 23 and 26, the lawsuit says. Despite Schnabel's warnings, Perez-Rivera died June 13, a month before her fourth birthday, from dehydration and starvation. Her skin was ashen, and her legs, hips, arms, face, back and head were covered in bruises. The child died while in the custody of Perez, the children's natural mother, and Utley at their home in Kapolei, the complaint says. 'Only then did (the state ) finally remove the subject minors from the Perez home, ' the lawsuit claims, adding that the children were taken to the hospital showing signs of neglect and dehydration and looking thin and tired. In February, eight months after she died, the medical examiner ruled the 3-year-old girl's death a homicide. Police arrested Perez and Utley on Feb. 27. The pair were indicted Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Perez-Rivera, first-degree attempted assault of the younger of her two older brothers, kidnapping of the three eldest children including Perez-Rivera, first-degree hindering prosecution, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and—with regard to the two older brothers—two counts of persistent nonsupport and two counts of abuse of family or household members. 'We wish reporting to CWS and PACT was enough to save Sarai and her siblings, ' Tiffany Texeira, the girl's aunt, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 'Why do these children keep dying ? Why is there not better laws ? Why is it so hard to get CWS to follow through ? They say, 'See something. Say something.' We did and still the same results.' On Tuesday, Schnabel, as 'next friend ' for her three surviving grandchildren—who on the day of their sister's death were ages 6, 5 and 2—filed a lawsuit against DHS, alleging negligence and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, calling the agency's conduct outrageous and extreme. The lawsuit alleges the state knew or should have known about the physical condition of the children and evident abuse by the mother and her partner, who were unfit to care for children, and that the children were not safe in their care. It also alleges the children have suffered and continue to suffer physical pain, anxiety, psychological harm, embarrassment and emotional distress, and will continue to incur medical and psychological treatment, therapy and counseling, and loss of future income and /or earning capacity. The criminal complaint against Perez and Utley alleges the couple had enough food to feed many people yet strictly monitored the children's food and water intake and prevented them from using the bathroom. It says Schnabel told police that when she last saw the children in February 2024, they were skinny, hungry, extremely quiet and stayed close to Perez the entire time. The three older children appeared famished at a 2023 Christmas party, and Perez-Rivera looked tired. In October 2023, Schnabel claims, Perez was rude and mean to the older children, and monitored their food and water intake. The children drank water heavily, she recalled. Plaintiff's attorney Mark Gallagher said others may be named as defendants in the case. He said it will be necessary to get from DHS 'who was involved in the case, and what steps they took in response to the information they were provided. So all options are open at this point.' He said Perez and Utley were not named as defendants in the civil complaint because 'it could pose a delay ' since they 'would have the right to refuse to answer any discovery questions ' pending resolution of their criminal matters. Perez and Utley are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Oahu Circuit Court. CWS said in a statement that DHS 'continues to grieve with the community over the loss of this child. DHS cannot comment on pending litigation. The department will respond to any pending litigation in Court with the assistance and representation of the Department of the Attorney General.' PACT did not return a request for comment on the lawsuit. by
