Latest news with #Thoemmes
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Mother charged in ‘torture' death of adopted daughter, 11, in Laie
A 39-year-old Kahuku woman was arrested and charged with manslaughter today for allegedly torturing and neglecting her 11-year-old adopted daughter who died in December 2023. The victim, Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, had 'multiple injuries from child abuse ' and the manner of her death was a homicide, Lt. Deena Thoemmes, head of the Honolulu Police Department's Strategic Enforcement and Homicide Detail, said at a news conference. Pili-Ah You had extensive bruising, 'deep enough to penetrate skin ' and reaching her diaphragm, Thoemmes said. She had multiple abrasions to her face, head, neck, chest back, arms, hands, and legs. The girl had wounds consistent with being bitten, internal injuries to her neck 'likely from strangulation, ' two broken ribs a scalp hemorrhage, and her left lung was dark which indicated pneumonia, Thoemmes said. Pili-Ah You's body tested positive for COVID, pneumonia and the flu, according to HPD. Sina Pili was indicted by an Oahu grand jury today and charged with manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor, and persistent non-support, according to state court documents. Pili-Ah You was adopted by Pili and her husband two months before she died. Thoemmes said Pili-Ah You's adoptive father has not been arrested but remains under investigation. 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 torture is insidious, it is gradual, calculated and systematic and intended to break its victims completely, ' said Thoemmes, who urged state lawmakers to pass pending legislation, Senate Bill 281, allowing law enforcement more power to intervene, investigate and arrest people who abuse children. On the day she died, Pili 'slapped and punched ' Pili-Ah You multiple times over a period of 30 minutes, police said. On Dec. 22, 2023, patrol officers responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive 11-year-old girl at a home in Laie. Officers saw Pili-Ah You's father giving the girl 'life-saving care ' in the hallway of the home before Honolulu firefighters took her into the living room and tried to revive her, according to HPD. She was taken to the Kahuku Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Her death was initially classified as an unattended death. Homicide detectives, noticing the bruising, brought in HPD's child abuse detail. Sina Pili was arrested at about 1 :45 p.m. in Kahuku and will remain in police custody before she is taken to Honolulu Circuit Court for arraignment on Thursday. Pili 'recklessly ' caused her adopted daughter's death on Dec. 22, 2023, according to the indictment. Manslaughter is a Class 'A ' felony punishable by 20 years in prison without the possibility of suspension of sentence or probation. Four additional children in Pili and her husband's care, ages 12, 9, 8, 7, have been placed in protective custody by state Child Welfare Services. This was the second time this week that charges were filed in a child's death on Oahu. On Feb. 27, police arrested two women—Janae Perez, 25, and her girlfriend, Ashleigh Utley, 33—in the June starvation death of 3-year-old girl Sarai Perez-Rivera in Kapolei. Perez, who is the girl's mother, and Utley were indicted Tuesday for suspicion of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, hindering prosecution and two counts of kidnapping. RELATED STORY : 28 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
Kahuku mother arrested in death of 11-year-old girl
A 39-year-old woman who works as a behavioral health specialist and senior class adviser at Kahuku High and Intermediate School was arrested on campus Friday and charged with manslaughter for allegedly torturing and neglecting her 11-year-old adopted daughter who died in December 2023. The victim, Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, had 'multiple injuries from child abuse, ' and the manner of her death was homicide, Lt. Deena Thoemmes, head of the Honolulu Police Department's Strategic Enforcement and Homicide Detail, told reporters Friday at a news conference. Pili-Ah You had extensive bruising 'deep enough to penetrate skin ' and reaching her diaphragm, Thoemmes said. The child also had multiple abrasions to her face, head, neck, chest, back, arms, hands and legs. The girl had wounds consistent with being bitten, internal injuries to her neck 'likely from strangulation, ' two broken ribs and a scalp hemorrhage, and her left lung was dark, indicative of pneumonia, Thoemmes said. Pili-Ah You's body tested positive for COVID-19, pneumonia and the flu, according to HPD. The child's adoptive mother, Sina Pili, was indicted Friday by an Oahu grand jury and charged with manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport, according to state court documents. Pili-Ah You was adopted by Pili and her husband two months before she died. Thoemmes said the girl's adoptive father has not been arrested, but remains under investigation. 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 torture is insidious. It is gradual, calculated and systematic, and intended to break its victims completely, ' said Thoemmes, who urged state lawmakers to pass pending legislation, Senate Bill 281, allowing law enforcement more power to intervene, investigate and arrest people who abuse children. Child abuse and death investigations take longer than murder investigations, Thoemmes explained, because officers have to go over medical records, autopsy reports and school records ; interview family members ; and gather additional evidence. On the day Pili-Ah You died, the suspect 'slapped and punched ' the child multiple times over a period of 30 minutes, police said. On Dec. 22, 2023, patrol officers responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive 11-year-old girl at a home in Laie. The girl had been sick and held out of school but was in class the day before she died. Despite the victim suffering from a fever and uncontrolled urination, Pili allegedly forced the girl to exercise by running back and forth from the family home to a chapel, police said. Pili-Ah You's adoptive father told police he found her in the shower, unresponsive, after hearing a thud. Arriving officers saw him giving the girl 'lifesaving care ' in the hallway of the home outside the bathroom before firefighters took her into the living room to try and revive her. She was taken to Kahuku Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Pili-Ah You's death was initially classified as an unattended death. Homicide detectives, noticing the bruising, brought in HPD's child abuse detail. Pili and her husband told police they had no idea how the girl was injured and suggested it could be a result of playing sports. According to the indictment, Pili 'recklessly ' caused her adopted daughter's death. Manslaughter is a Class A felony punishable by 20 years in prison without the possibility of suspension of sentence or probation. Pili was arrested at about 1 :45 p.m. Friday at Kahuku High and Intermediate School and will remain in police custody until she appears for arraignment Thursday in Oahu Circuit Court. Four other children in Pili and her husband's care, ages 12, 9, 8, 7, have been placed in protective custody by state Child Welfare Services. Pili earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Brigham Young University of Hawaii in Laie and a master's in social work from the University of Hawaii, where she is pursuing a doctorate from the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, according to a profile on the Department of Sociology web page. 'In her free time, (Pili ) is centered on everything family related, from attending her children's sporting events, church activities altogether, or just being in the company of loved ones, ' reads her profile. This was the second time this week that charges were filed in a child's death on Oahu. On Feb. 27—Janae Perez, 25, and her girlfriend, Ashleigh Utley, 33—in connection with the June starvation death of 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Rivera in Kapolei. Perez, who is the girl's mother, and Utley were indicted Tuesday for second-degree murder, first-degree assault, hindering prosecution and two counts of kidnapping. 'Our keiki are precious and vulnerable. We all have a responsibility to care for our keiki, who are the future of Hawaii, ' said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm. 'If you see keiki in need of help or look like they have been assaulted, please call the Child Abuse Reporting Line.' Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Julia Kaneshiro is handling the Pili-Ah You case.—Report abuse—Child abuse and /or neglect : 808-832-5300 (Oahu ) or toll-free 888-380-3088 (Hawaii island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai ). Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.—Child trafficking : 808-832-1999 (Oahu ) or toll-free 888-398-1188 (Hawaii island, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai ). Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Woman arrested in connection to manslaughter of adopted child
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu police held a news conference at HPD's Main Station to address an arrest made in a 2023 child manslaughter case involving an 11-year-old girl. According to Lt. Deena Thoemmes, the child's 35-year-old adoptive mother, Sina Pili, was arrested on Friday, March 7 in connection to the death of Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You. Family member of dead Kapolei toddler files lawsuit against state She was arrested on Friday, March 7 on a grand jury bench warrant for manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport. On Dec. 22, 2023, Honolulu police and firefighters responded to a report of an unresponsive female at a home in Lāʻie. Upon arrival, first responders found Azaeliyah's adoptive father attempting to administer life-saving care to her body, who said she fell in the shower. Firefighters then took over before bringing her to an area emergency room where she was pronounced said responding police officers found Azaeliyah with bruises to various parts of her body, including her face. 'After extensive testing, review of medical records and investigative findings, the forensic pathologist determined that the cause of Azaeliyah's death to be multiple injuries from child abuse and the manner of death to be homicide,' said Lt. Thoemmes. Lt. Thoemmes added Azaeliyah suffered from extensive bruising, some of which penetrated the skin and could be seen reaching the diaphragm, multiple abrasions from her head to her legs, wounds to the nose, internal injuries likely from strangulation and more. The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney said Pili will be in HPD custody pending transfer to Circuit Court for Arraignment on March 13. Check out more news from around Hawaii Anyone who may see a child in need of help should call the Child Abuse Reporting Line at (808) 832-5300. For neighboring islands, call (888) 380-3088. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Honolulu police arrest four suspects for deadly New Year's Eve fireworks explosion
Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Authorities in Honolulu said they have arrested an additional four people in connection with a deadly New Year's Eve fireworks explosion that killed five people and injured about 20 others. The explosion was set off by fireworks shortly after midnight at a New Year's Eve party held at a residence in the Salt Lake neighborhood, initially killing three people and injuring 26 others, including three juveniles. The death toll climbed to four days later after a 3-year-old injured in the blast died and to five on Tuesday when police said a 29-year-old man who had been flown to an Arizona hospital following the blast, succumbed to his injuries. Lt. Deena Thoemmes of the Honolulu Police Department told reporters during a Thursday press conference that two couples who lived at the home where the explosion occurred were arrested Wednesday afternoon. The suspects were identified only as two men, ages 35 and 32, and two women, ages 38 and 29. They are being held on charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree endangerment of the welfare of a minor and multiple firework offenses, she said. Thoemmes said the four children of the 35-year-old man and the 38-year-old woman arrested Wednesday were injured in the blast, treated at a local hospital and then released. The other couple, the 32-year-old man and 29-year-old woman, had two children at the party, none of whom were injured, she said. With the arrests, a total of six people have been detained in connection to the crime. The first two suspects, also a couple but who did not live at the residence, were released pending investigation, she said, adding that she expects them and others to be charged. Manslaughter, she said, is the most serious charge that may be brought against suspects in the case. She said many people have been interviewed -- some have refused to provide detectives with statements about what happened that night, while others have provided false statements. "They have chosen to protect themselves, instead of being the voice for their loved ones who have died or are currently in critical condition at hospitals," she said. During the investigation, approximately 500 pounds of unused illegal fireworks were recovered from the residence's carport and vehicles of people attending the party.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Honolulu police have arrested 6 people in connection with deadly New Year's fireworks blast
HONOLULU (AP) — Police arrested a total of six people in connection with a deadly explosion of illegal fireworks in a Honolulu neighborhood on New Year's Eve and confiscated 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of unused fireworks from the scene of the blast, authorities said Thursday. Police arrested two couples on Wednesday and one couple last Friday, said Honolulu police homicide Lt. Deena Thoemmes said. Police expect to arrest more people, she said. Police were working with prosecutors to file charges but it is taking time due to the number of people arrested, large volume of evidence being examined and fireworks being tested, she said. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'We are recovering more evidence and identifying more individuals. As a result, additional arrests will be forthcoming,' Thoemmes said at a news conference. The explosion killed three women, one man and a 3-year-old boy and injured about 20 others. The tragedy occurred when a lit bundle of mortar-style aerials tipped over and shot into crates of unlit fireworks, causing a rapid-fire series of blasts. All six suspects were arrested on allegations of first-degree reckless endangering, first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple fireworks offenses. The first two suspects have been released pending investigation. Manslaughter was the most serious potential charge in the case and was being investigated, Thoemmes said. Detectives will study how the fireworks were acquired and will ask the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for help with that part of the investigation, she said. The 500 pounds recovered from the scene were found in the carport and in vehicles belonging to people at the gathering, Thoemmes said. The igniting of illegal fireworks — many of them aerials normally used in professional fireworks shows — has become increasingly common in Hawaii in recent years. People set off fireworks year-round but especially during the year-end holidays. Hawaii authorities have said existing laws are difficult to enforce, in part because the evidence is often incinerated when fireworks are lit. Residents are also often reluctant to testify against their neighbors, making cases difficult to prove in court. The deadly New Year's explosion prompted Gov. Josh Green to propose overhauling fireworks enforcement laws, including creating $300 citations that police could issue to violators. He has also asked lawmakers to enable Class A felony charges and possibly decades in prison for those whose actions with fireworks severely injure or kill people. The state Department of Law Enforcement has asked lawmakers to appropriate $5.2 million to hire eight people and expand a forensic lab to crack down on the persistent rampant smuggling of fireworks. Police said the first two suspects arrested, a man and a woman both 33 years-old, ignited illegal fireworks at the New Year's Eve gathering and allowed their children — ages 15, 10 and 1 — to also light illegal fireworks. The 1-year-old was injured, treated at a hospital and released, police said. Thoemmes said the two other couples arrested Wednesday both lived at the house where the explosion occurred. One couple — a 35-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman — allegedly attended the gathering with their four minor children. All four children were injured, taken to a hospital to be treated for their wounds and released. The other couple was a 29-year-old woman and 32-year-old man. Police said they were at the party with their two minor children, who were not injured. Thoemmes said some people initially interviewed by detectives provided false statements. 'Hindering prosecution is a crime and those who do so will face charges,' she said.
