Forgery convict escapes from women's prison in Kailua

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 31-year-old inmate who was up for parole consideration next month escaped yesterday from the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua, scaling a 7-foot fence and disappearing into the Pohakupu neighborhood near Kailua High School.

Capol

But "this is not the first time or the last time that an inmate with one foot out the door does something like this," said Francis Sequeira, WCCC's warden.

The escapee is Daphne Capol, who was serving a five-year sentence for second-degree forgery and second-degree theft. Sequeira said Capol does not have a history of violence and is not viewed as a threat to the community.

Capol is described as 5 feet tall and 90 pounds, with black hair.

She was last seen wearing jeans, a gray sweatshirt and a red T-shirt.

Police said Capol was in "community custody" at WCCC, the lowest security classification for an inmate.

She escaped about 9:45 a.m.

Pohakupu resident Judy Barrett, an assistant concert master and violinist with the Honolulu Symphony, said she saw Capol standing in her yard shortly before 10 a.m. yesterday. She said Capol stacked several milk crates against her fence, which borders WCCC's minimum-security area, and climbed onto a tree in her yard.

"I asked, 'What are you doing in my yard?' and she smiled and said, 'I'm getting mangoes!' and ran off," said Barrett, who does not have a mango tree.

"She looked young and really friendly."

Barrett said she thought Capol was a student from Kailua High.

Sequeira said Capol had been one of five inmates taking part in a landscaping course taught by an elderly instructor.

Because the female inmates attending the class are in community custody, no corrections officers were near the class site yesterday.

Despite yesterday's escape, residents in the neighboring community said they felt no apprehension at living so close to WCCC, which holds 311 inmates.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8110.