HILO, Hawai'i — A caregiver of an 11-year-old girl taken from a Puna home after being found malnourished and suffering from burns, broken bones and festering wounds was indicted yesterday on charges including second-degree attempted murder.

Hyacinth L. Poouahi, 38, was indicted on five felony charges, Deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville said.

Damerville said the charges include an accusation of attempted "murder by omission," in which Poouahi allegedly repeatedly witnessed the girl being assaulted and had a duty to seek medical or police help, but did not do so.

A doctor who treated the girl, who was 10 when she was hospitalized, told police the girl had broken bones, cigarette burns and other injuries that suggested she had been bound with wires, thin ropes and cloth, according to a police affidavit filed in Hilo District Court.

The affidavit stated that Poouahi's 16-year-old daughter, who was living in the same 'Ainaloa home, told police she begged Poouahi to get medical help for the younger girl. Poouahi allegedly refused to seek help, according to the police affidavit.

The affidavit said Poouahi's daughter told police that her 14-year-old brother, along with Poouahi and Poouahi's common-law husband, "beat up" the younger girl.

Poouahi called for an ambulance Feb. 7 when the younger girl could not be roused, and the affidavit said the ambulance crew found the girl lying on a lanai of the home with a cut on her head that was "decomposing and containing maggots."

The girl had other injuries that showed "signs of decomposition," according to the document.

Poouahi could not be reached for comment yesterday, but she earlier said the girl's injuries were largely self-inflicted.

Poouahi has said the girl's condition suddenly deteriorated on Feb. 6, prompting her to call an ambulance the following day.

The girl is not being identified by The Advertiser to protect her privacy. She was sent to a California hospital for treatment of burns, and was later returned to Hawai'i, where she has been in foster care under state supervision.

Damerville said Poouahi was also indicted yesterday with first-degree assault, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a minor, and first-degree terroristic threatening. Bail was set at $25,000 for all of the charges. Damerville said Poouahi had not yet been arrested.

Phillip D. Abadilla Sr., a director with the 'Ainaloa Community Association, said the case upset area residents. People were angry at the apparent abuse of the girl, he said, and questioned the many months it took authorities to charge anyone in the case.

Abadilla said the indictment yesterday was good news, but said he hopes authorities address a number of other troubling issues raised by the case.

For example, friends of the injured girl's family said the girl's 28-year-old mother repeatedly left her at the homes of relatives or acquaintances for weeks or months at a time.

Poouahi is not related to the injured girl, and Poouahi has said the child's mother left the girl with Poouahi's family for several months.

Damerville declined to say whether he expects additional charges in the case. However, he said the child's mother is "not the subject of a pending investigation."

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.