Letters 1-21

A Child’s death

Where was her help? A line we should cross

What do we do when one of our precious island babies is killed?

Ezekiel Wakinekona has been booked on manslaughter charges. According to this newspaper and other accounts, the 3-year-old girl was covered in bruises, had her eye lashes cut off, bite marks on her body and was nearly drowned in the bathtub.

In my book, the defendant knew what he was doing and that over time he had to know there was a chance she could die — please call it what it is, murder in the first degree.

What puzzles me is where were his wife, the ohana, neighbors, and members of the public?

There must have been times when she cried as she was being abused, who heard her and did nothing?

She must have been in public areas at times, who saw her injuries and did nothing?

It is possible that she even told someone in baby words what was happening to her and why didn’t they listen?

I know there were good and kind people who either saw her or heard her and they thought it was none of their business; now, we know it was.

I am also aware there are cultural and social edicts that instruct each of us to take care of what goes on in our home and let others take care of theirs. This is good advice and makes for good neighbors when all is well.

As caring members of society we need to be able to know when to cross that line, when to speak up and to be aware that, as much as we hate it, there are some who are without morals or a speck of decency; they cannot be allowed to harm our children.

I cannot stand it that this precious girl died at age 3 thinking there was no one who loved and protected her.

I am sure there are probably those who loved this little girl and did not know what was going on in that house, but I am also sure she did not feel loved as this abuse was happening. She was an object for this man to express his inadequacies and shortcomings as a human being; he has no redeeming value.

Please, let us use this tragic event as a very serious reminder that we are all responsible for all the children, none of us can be too busy or uncaring to not respond to a child in need.

It is so much better to report when suspicious rather than letting it go if we think/hope there might be a logical reason for those screams or injuries.

Call the police, call Child Protective Services; do something. If you called once and nothing happened, call again. If you are too afraid to do it by yourself, find a neighbor or friend who will do it with you.

We simply must report our suspicions; we owe it to the children. Step forward and do it in the memory of this child.

Gail Loofbourrow

Kailua-Kona