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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 11, 2007

Malnourished girl kept in state custody

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

A three-day state investigation into the circumstances surrounding the malnourished condition of an 11-year-old Makiki girl concluded yesterday with the state maintaining foster custody of the child.

The thrust of the investigation was to determine whether the girl suffers from an eating disorder or is a victim of abuse and neglect. Officials with the state Department of Human Services declined to discuss the probe's findings, citing state law protecting the privacy of minors.

The state had three business days to look into the girl's condition and had to decide whether to give the girl back to her parents or to keep foster custody of her.

"Child welfare services' investigation has been completed, and we maintain foster custody," said Department of Human Services spokesman Derick Dahilig. "We're not going to release specifics of the investigation."

Honolulu police have opened a first-degree assault investigation but neither of the girl's parents, both 33 years old, has been arrested.

Attempts to reach the couple were unsuccessful yesterday.

"The investigation is ongoing," said Honolulu police spokeswoman Michelle Yu.

The state is cooperating with police, and the findings of their investigation will be shared with detectives.

Police have interviewed the girl's parents.

According to the city division of Emergency Medical Services, personnel responded to a call Sunday at 1:46 p.m. to an apartment at 809 Kina'u St. An 11-year-old girl was taken to the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children in critical condition.

In 2000, the girl's parents were arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, according to police and court records. The girl's mother pleaded guilty, and the father pleaded no contest.

The offense is a petty misdemeanor, and both received deferred judgments and the offense was removed from their records after they completed a year of probation.

It is not clear if that offense involved this girl.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.