A 31-year-old Mountain View man accused of what police called the “heinous abuse and starvation of a two-year-old girl” remained in custody late Monday afternoon at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, unable to post $85,000 bail.
Deputy Public Defender Jared Auna requested that Judge Jeffrey Hawk free Clayton Ernest Saragosa on supervised release, a form of cashless bail.
Deputy Public Defender Georgia Berrenberg objected to Auna’s motion, which Hawk denied, noting that the court is in receipt of two documents establishing probable cause for the pretrial detention of Saragosa.
Hawk did grant Auna’s request for an updated bail study, however, and ordered Saragosa to return to court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
Those probable cause documents, while public, weren’t available as of late Monday afternoon.
According to police, shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, Hilo patrol officers responded to the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room for a report that a two-year-old girl had been admitted with various burn marks, physical signs of dehydration and malnutrition, bruising at various stages of healing, and a fractured rib and femur bone, also in the healing stages.
Due to the extent of the physical injuries and the child’s malnutrition, she was flown to Kapiolani Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment. The girl remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Detectives later determined that Saragosa, who is the live-in boyfriend of the child’s 23-year-old mother, had reportedly denied the girl food and water and regularly physically abused her over a period of several months.
Saragosa was arrested at 4:40 p.m. Sunday at his Mountain View residence. Two of his biological sons, ages 12 and 13, who reside in the home, were placed into protective custody for their safety and later released to Child Welfare Services.
Two additional sons of Saragosa from a previous relationship, ages 8 and 4, who were there for a weekend visitation, also were placed into protective custody and released to their mother.
CWS has opened an investigation into the health and safety of all children within the residence.
On Sunday evening, Saragosa was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, domestic abuse and two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
A criminal investigation related to mother’s role in this matter remains continuing, and upon completion will be forwarded to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, according to police.
Anyone with information relative to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Patrick Aurello at (808) 961-8810 or Patrick.Aurello@hawaiicounty.gov or the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.