Big Isle girl, 10, in critical condition after alleged abuse

Advertiser Staff

HILO, Hawai'i — A 10-year-old Big Island girl is in "very critical condition" at a Honolulu hospital after suffering what police said was "severe child abuse."

The girl's mother left the child in the care of a Puna couple, who called the fire department for help on Feb. 7, police said. The identities of the couple and the girl were not released, and police did not say how long the child had been with the couple.

Fire officials took the girl to Hilo Medical Center with "festering head and body wounds," police said. When hospital personnel saw the girl's injuries, they notified police and she was flown to the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

Child Welfare Services now has legal custody of the child.

Derick Dahilig, spokesman for the Department of Human Services, said child welfare officials likely will work with Big Island police during the investigation of the girl's injuries. He said the girl was not in state foster care when she was injured. He declined to release further information.

Hawai'i County Police Department spokesman Buck Donham said authorities have located the girl's mother, but he did not release any other information.

No one has been arrested yet in the case, which police have classified as endangering the welfare of a child.