HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu police are opening an investigation into the handling of a case from two years ago that involved a child who was hospitalized with multiple injuries after he was picked up from a day care run by a police officer’s wife.
HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu police are opening an investigation into the handling of a case from two years ago that involved a child who was hospitalized with multiple injuries after he was picked up from a day care run by a police officer’s wife.
Acting police Chief Cary Okimoto told KHON-TV Wednesday he has “serious concerns” about the case and wants the department to take another look at how it was handled.
Chelsea Valiente says her then-1-year-old son was fine when she dropped him off at the Ewa Beach home day care in January 2015. But she received a call from the home hours later saying the child was having trouble waking up.
Peyton Valiente was hospitalized with several unknown injuries. He has since recovered.
“Reading the facts of the case I was very concerned,” Okimoto said. “I want them to really look hard at reopening the case to see if it’s salvageable.”
Chelsea Valiente said she would like to see the new investigation lead to people being held responsible for what happened to her son.
“I’m hoping that the outcome is going to be positive for us meaning that people will be held accountable for how poorly it was done,” she said.
Okimoto said he is also seeking an audit of other cases to figure out where the department is “falling short.”