Latest news with #SinaPili
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Kahuku woman pleads not guilty in adopted daughter's death
KEVIN FUJII / POOL PHOTO Sina Pili, 39, is arraigned in Circuit Court Thursday, represented by Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi. KEVIN FUJII / POOL PHOTO Sina Pili, 39, is arraigned in Circuit Court Thursday, represented by Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi. Sina Pili, who holds a master's degree in social work, pleaded not guilty Thursday to manslaughter and related charges in the 2023 abuse and torture death of her 11-year-old adopted daughter, who had learning disabilities. The 39-year-old Laie woman was arraigned Thursday on charges of manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport with regard to Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, whom she adopted two months prior to the child's death on Dec. 22, 2023. While waiting for her arraignment, Pili, dressed in a white paper jumpsuit, smiled wistfully at her tearful mother, who sat in the courtroom gallery along with numerous other family members. Circuit Judge Ronald Johnson confirmed Pili, in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, be held without bail. Deputy Prosecutor Julia Kaneshiro asked the judge to confirm no bail due to 'the seriousness of the charge of potential tampering with minor witnesses.' Johnson agreed and said there is a serious risk that Pili poses a danger to others, including children. 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. 'There are other children involved, ' he said. Even if they had been removed from the home, he said, Pili may be able to gain access to the children through other means. He said the court is concerned there may be obstruction or intent to obstruct justice by intimidating prospective witnesses who may have lived in the home at the time. Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi said he would reserve argument for bail. The judge had issued a no-contact order March 7 that prohibits Pili from contacting three children born between 2014 and 2016. Four children, ages 12, 9, 8 and 7, under Pili and her husband's care, were placed in protective custody by Child Welfare Services. Pili's husband is under police investigation but has not been arrested. Pili's trial is scheduled for May 12 before Judge Rowena Somerville. Pili's mother and other family members declined comment after the arraignment. Pili-Ah You was in the custody of another family two months before she was adopted. Pili, a behavioral health specialist and senior class adviser at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, was arrested March 7 on campus. She was placed on leave March 7 pending investigation. It appears from a previously posted Brigham Young University Hawaii directory that Pili was also a faculty member in education and social work. However, BYU Hawaii did not return a call to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for confirmation, as the link to the directory showing Pili's name is no longer available. Pili earned a master's degree in social work Aug. 14, 2010, from the University of Hawaii. As foster parents and parents who adopt children in foster care, Pili and her husband received payments ranging from $649 to $776 per child depending on age, and up to an additional $570 a month for each child with special needs. The 11-year-old was found with multiple injuries from child abuse, police said. Police said that on the day the girl died, Pili slapped and punched the girl multiple times over a period of 30 minutes at their Laie home. Responding officers saw Pili-Ah You's father giving her lifesaving care in the home, before firefighters attempted to resuscitate her, police said. She was pronounced dead at the Kahuku Medical Center. Pili-Ah You had extensive and deep bruising, multiple abrasions to her face, head, neck, chest, back, arms, hands and legs. She also had apparent bite wounds and internal injuries to her neck likely from being choked, broken ribs and bleeding to the scalp and evidence of pneumonia in her left lung, police said. Her body tested positive for pneumonia, flu and COVID-19.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Kahuku woman pleads not guilty in adopted daughter's death
KEVIN FUJII / POOL PHOTO Sina Pili, 39, is arraigned in Circuit Court Thursday, represented by Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi. KEVIN FUJII / POOL PHOTO Sina Pili, 39, is arraigned in Circuit Court Thursday, represented by Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi. Sina Pili, who holds a master's degree in social work, pleaded not guilty Thursday to manslaughter and related charges in the 2023 abuse and torture death of her 11-year-old adopted daughter, who had learning disabilities. The 39-year-old Laie woman was arraigned Thursday on charges of manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport with regard to Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, whom she adopted two months prior to the child's death on Dec. 22, 2023. While waiting for her arraignment, Pili, dressed in a white paper jumpsuit, smiled wistfully at her tearful mother, who sat in the courtroom gallery along with numerous other family members. Circuit Judge Ronald Johnson confirmed Pili, in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, be held without bail. Deputy Prosecutor Julia Kaneshiro asked the judge to confirm no bail due to 'the seriousness of the charge of potential tampering with minor witnesses.' Johnson agreed and said there is a serious risk that Pili poses a danger to others, including children. 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. 'There are other children involved, ' he said. Even if they had been removed from the home, he said, Pili may be able to gain access to the children through other means. He said the court is concerned there may be obstruction or intent to obstruct justice by intimidating prospective witnesses who may have lived in the home at the time. Deputy Public Defender Samson Shigetomi said he would reserve argument for bail. The judge had issued a no-contact order March 7 that prohibits Pili from contacting three children born between 2014 and 2016. Four children, ages 12, 9, 8 and 7, under Pili and her husband's care, were placed in protective custody by Child Welfare Services. Pili's husband is under police investigation but has not been arrested. Pili's trial is scheduled for May 12 before Judge Rowena Somerville. Pili's mother and other family members declined comment after the arraignment. Pili-Ah You was in the custody of another family two months before she was adopted. Pili, a behavioral health specialist and senior class adviser at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, was arrested March 7 on campus. She was placed on leave March 7 pending investigation. It appears from a previously posted Brigham Young University Hawaii directory that Pili was also a faculty member in education and social work. However, BYU Hawaii did not return a call to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for confirmation, as the link to the directory showing Pili's name is no longer available. Pili earned a master's degree in social work Aug. 14, 2010, from the University of Hawaii. As foster parents and parents who adopt children in foster care, Pili and her husband received payments ranging from $649 to $776 per child depending on age, and up to an additional $570 a month for each child with special needs. The 11-year-old was found with multiple injuries from child abuse, police said. Police said that on the day the girl died, Pili slapped and punched the girl multiple times over a period of 30 minutes at their Laie home. Responding officers saw Pili-Ah You's father giving her lifesaving care in the home, before firefighters attempted to resuscitate her, police said. She was pronounced dead at the Kahuku Medical Center. Pili-Ah You had extensive and deep bruising, multiple abrasions to her face, head, neck, chest, back, arms, hands and legs. She also had apparent bite wounds and internal injuries to her neck likely from being choked, broken ribs and bleeding to the scalp and evidence of pneumonia in her left lung, police said. Her body tested positive for pneumonia, flu and COVID-19.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We want to have every tool available to prosecute them': Lawmakers to hear bill that would make torture a felony
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A bill that would make torture a Class A felony offense has strong support from city prosecutors and law enforcement. But critics warn it could lead to prosecutorial overreach. Two recent child death cases have put the spotlight on horrific acts of extreme, prolonged suffering, leading many to argue that Senate Bill 281 is needed. Honolulu Police echoed the support for the bill after last week's arrest of Sina Pili for the death of her adopted daughter. Woman arrested in connection to manslaughter of adopted child 'Passing Senate Bill 281 will equip law enforcement with necessary tools to intervene effectively and hold offenders fully accountable. Right now, without this law, we are failing children like Azaeliyah,' said Honolulu Police Lt. Deena Thoemmes. Senate Bill 281 defines torture as the act of causing serious bodily injury to another person within the actor's custody or physical control, suspending the minor or vulnerable person by the wrists, ankles, arms, legs, hair or other parts of the body, and forcing the victim to remain in an area unsuitable for human habitation, such as an area where urine or feces are actively present. Prosecutors are also looking to amend the bill to include starvation, saying it would give them a stronger legal tool to ensure justice in cases of prolonged abuse.'There are some sick people out there who starve their kids or foster kids and we want to have every tool available to prosecute them,' said Steve Alm, Honolulu prosecuting attorney. Those who support the bill say it would enable law enforcement to act sooner rather than later. 'When they find kids in this situation they don't have to find a bruise, but if they see they've lost a tremendous amount of weight they'll know, if this bill gets amended as we're hoping, it will give them a reason and probable cause to be able to make arrests, to get the kid out of that situation,' Alm said. But the Office of the Public Defender opposes the bill, arguing that existing laws already allow prosecutors to charge extreme abuse adequately. In testimony, they warn the bill's language is too broad and could lead to confusion and possible wrongful convictions. However, prosecutors say the length of time it takes to bring these types of cases to trial, including Isabella Kalua, Geanna Bradley and Peter Boy Kema, which can sometimes take up to a year, demonstrate the care they would take to ensure the investigation is thorough. 'We want to make sure we're charging the right person and we have all the evidence we need to successfully prosecute these cases,' said Tiffany Kaeo, deputy prosecuting attorney and Family Division chief. Senate Bill 281 is scheduled for a hearing on the morning of Feb. 11 before the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
