The mother of a slain 11-year-old Halawa girl whose disappearance led to a massive search was placed on five years' probation yesterday and ordered to pay $43,583 in restitution for welfare fraud.

Lehua Tumbaga, the mother of Kahealani Indreginal, whose body was found off the 'Aiea Loop Trail in December 2002, also was ordered by Circuit Judge Richard Perkins to perform 250 hours of community service.

Tumbaga earlier pleaded guilty to a theft charge, according to Joanne Ha'o, deputy attorney general.

Ha'o said Tumbaga received food stamps and financial assistance, but that she failed to report that Kahealani's father was living with the family from 2002 to 2004.

Tumbaga's daughter, Tanya Mamala-Tumbaga, also pleaded guilty to theft, but Perkins gave her a chance to have the case dropped if she abides by conditions similar to probation for five years, performs 200 hours of community service and pays $9,637 in restitution.

Ha'o said Mamala-Tumbaga failed to report that Christopher Aki, the father of her two children, was in the household in 2002 and later failed to report that the two children were not in the household in 2004.

Aki is serving a 20-year manslaughter sentence for Kahealani's death.

Adam Lee, special investigator with the Department of Human Services, said the investigation began after caseworkers noticed, from the media coverage of the girl's death, matters that seemed "odd" and didn't fit what they knew about the family.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.