2 women Oahu arrested in starving the 3 -year -old girl’s death

The Honolulu police arrested two women on Thursday afternoon about the death of the starvation in June of a 3-year-old girl from Kapol.

Janae Perez, 25 years old, the child’s mother, and her girlfriend, Ashleigh Utley, 33, were arrested at 13:56 on Dillingham Boulevard. Both were arrested under the suspicion of second degree murder, 1st degree aggression, preventing criminal prosecution and two charges of kidnapping.

Lt. Deena Thoemmes, Lt. Honolulu, said that the case was initially classified as an unattended death. However, after additional tests and medical findings, it was reclassified as a second degree murder.

On the evening of June 13, the Honolulu police officers responded to a report of a unanswered child in the Kekuilani loop in Kapolei.

The emergency medical services and the staff of the Honolulu Fire Department performed measures to save the child’s life, which was later identified as Sarai Perez-Rivera, before taking it to the Queen-West Oahu Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 19:44

The first respondents found the undernourished and unanswered Perez-river, with gray skin, bruises on the feet, hips, arms, front and head, as well as abrasions and wounds on the hands and back, the police said.

The officers who responded spoke with Perez, who identified as Perez-Rivera’s mother, and Utley, who said she lives with Perez and her children. Both Utley and Perez referred to Perez-Rivera and her three brothers, as both belonging.

The women told the police that Perez led to Perez-Rivera and her three brothers, between the ages of 6, 5 and 2, at the airport to pick up Utley. Thoemmes said that Perez told the police that they returned home around 6 pm and started cooking dinner when she noticed that her 5-year-old son hitting and hitting Perez-Rivera while on the field

Perez told the police that he had tried to separate the children, then returned to cooking. She said she later checked on Perez-River after noting that she was quiet, found her unanswered and called 911.

Thoemmes said that Perez claimed that her 5 -year -old son has autism, although he was not diagnosed and that “he was regular and physically with Sarai.” She also blamed for the wounds caused by Perez-Rivera, Thoemmes said.

Following the initial investigation on Perez-Rivera’s death, her three brothers were taken under protection, the police said.

All three children were transported to the hospital, where the 6 -year -old boy was treated for extreme dehydration and subsequently released in good condition. The 5 -year -old boy was admitted for extreme dehydration, while the 2 -year -old was examined and released, the police said. The sex of the youngest child was not released.

Starting June 13, all children were removed from Custia’s Custia and Utley. It is not clear if their biological father has their custody.

An autopsy performed on June 14 by the medical examiner Honolulu initially postponed the cause and death of Perez-Rivera, waiting for further testing and reviewing medical documents.

During the investigation, the police interviewed Perez and Utley and learned that Perez withdrew his 6-year-old sons from school in November 2023 and January 2024.

Perez told investigators that it was the schooling of boys, but he could not offer any school work, Thoemmes said. Perez also acknowledged that he did not complete the necessary evaluations at the end of the year or the tests for them, according to Thoemme.

Through the investigation, the police found that the two women have seriously limited food and water for children – allowing them to rarely eat and restrict only eight of water a day.

“All four children appeared visibly thin and with a tired appearance,” Thoemmes said. “The next day after Sarai’s death, Janae and Ashleigh blamed Janae’s son, 5, telling him to be his fault.”

However, the police have established that Perez-Rivera’s 5-year-old brother did not hurt him on the night of the incident, Thoemmes said.

In contrast, investigators found that Perez and Utley usually hit children with their hands, sticks, blades, slippers and belts on various parts of their body, including their faces and ends, according to the police.

As part of the HPD investigation, a pediatrician of children certified by the council was consulted.

Thoemmes said that the pediatrician mentioned that Perez-Rivera suffered “a multitude of wounds that indicate the chronic abuse and neglect of children, which led to fatal mistreatment of children.”

Police recovered surveillance images from the day of the incident, showing Perez who was transporting Perez-Rivera, who appeared motionless, at her car. Another video captured on Perez who was returning to the residence, still wearing Perez-Rivera, who remained unanswered, according to Thoemmes.

The data from Perez and Utley’s mobile phones were also examined by the Cyber ​​Crimes from HPD and the strategic application details.

“There were pictures of children who were barricading in their furniture and gates bedroom,” said Thoemme. “There were also a disturbing video about Sarai’s cry and with severe discomfort and suffering, saying that he had to use the bath and that he was thirsty. In response, Janae cried repeatedly and swore.

“More videos have shown the son of Janae 5 years old, crying and also in severe discomfort and stress, saying she has to use the bathroom. Was shouted to shut up. He was crying so hard and said he would wet his pants, but Janae continued to shout at him and tell him to stop, “said Thoemme.

Another video showed the boy sitting with his legs crossed on a hardwood floor, face to the wall, she said.

“His exposed back shows his spine and hip bones coming out of his skin,” Thoemmes said.

Thoemmes said that the two women have failed to get medical treatment for Perez-Rivera and her brothers for more conditions, including malnutrition and body injury.

The investigation revealed that, despite the fact that they suffered food in the house of Kapolle, Utley and Perez deliberately chose not to provide enough feeding to the children, the police said.

On February 24, after the extended testing, a criminal pathologist established that Perez-Rivera died due to the combined effects of dehydration and starvation. The examination found that it has numerous contusions on the head and extremities.

It also had a low body weight and a body mass index that placed it in the third percentile for its age – findings in accordance with the chronic abuse and neglect, the police said.

On Thursday, Thoemmes supported the draft law 281 of the Senate and the draft law of his company, the draft law 388, which died in early February before the Commission for Judicial and Hawaii. Bills intends to approach children torture directly.

“Torture for children is insidious. It is gradually, calculated and systematically and designed to break the victim’s will, ”said Thoemme. “His effects are deliberate and devastating. Our existing legal framework does not adequately approach those acts of torture, which makes the offenders difficult. “

There is no specific torture status of the child in Hawaii laws. In contrast, cases of abuse on children are usually prosecuted in accordance with existing laws, such as the attack, endangering the welfare of a minor, murder or murder, depending on the severity of the abuse.

SB 281 would clarify definitions, prohibit the crime of torture and cause torture to be a class A.

“The passage of this draft law will equip the law enforcement forces with the necessary tools to intervene efficiently and to fully respond to the criminals,” said Thoemme. “At this moment, without this law, we do not succeed.”