41-year-old Holly Kaleki White, of Kea‘au was arrested and charged with domestic related offenses following an incident in Pāpa‘ikou. On February 12, Hilo patrol officers responded to a welfare check call from a witness who reported observing a woman striking two young boys and placing one of them in a headlock while near Mill Road in Pāpa‘ikou. The witness intervened by placing himself between the woman and the two children until police arrived. The boys, ages 11 and nine, were placed in protective custody for their safety, and White, who was determined to be their mother, was arrested for abuse family household member. White allegedly struck both boys in the head with open-handed slaps and struck their heads with a slipper. The older brother was placed in a headlock around his facial area, causing visible injury. The boys did not require medical attention. Child Welfare Services later placed them back with their legal guardian. After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, detectives from the Area I Juvenile Aid Section charged White with the following offenses:
- Abuse family household member
- Abuse family household member (strangulation)
- Two counts of abuse family household member (in the presence of a minor)
On Wednesday, White made her initial Hilo District Court appearance where her bail was maintained at $65,000. She remains incarcerated at the Hawai’i Community Correctional Center in Hilo, pending a preliminary hearing. Police ask anyone who may have witnessed thie incident to contact Detective Kelsey Kobayashi of the Area I Juvenile Aid Section, at (808) 961-8883, or via email at kelsey.kobayashi@hawaiicounty.gov.
HPD Photo