Posted on: Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Big Island man sentenced in beating death of son

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — A man who beat his 9-year-old son to death 14 months ago was ordered to spend 20 years in prison.

Derek Waki Sr., 30, formerly of Puna, pleaded guilty in August to reduced charges of manslaughter and abusing a family member. He initially had face second-degree murder charges for what a former prosecutor called "a specially heinous and atrocious crime" for the prolonged beating of his son, Derek Waki Jr.

The boy fell unconscious at the family's home Aug. 22, 2000, and died the next day at Queen's Medical Center on O'ahu.

The father's live-in girlfriend, pregnant at the time, also pleaded guilty to reduced manslaughter charges earlier this month. Kuulei Kane is to be sentenced Nov. 20