A Laie woman, Sina Pili, faces manslaughter charges in the death of her 11-year-old adoptive daughter, Azaeliyah Pili-Ah You, with allegations of a brutal beating on the day the child died, as per an indictment by an Oahu Grand Jury. Pili, 39, who was arrested at Kahuku High and Intermediate School where she is listed as a behavioral health specialist, is also charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, as reported by Island News.
During the announcement, Lt. Deena Thoemmes of the HPD Criminal Investigation Division described the physical trauma Azaeliyah sustained, saying, "Some of the bruising was so deep that it penetrated the skin and during the autopsy it could be seen reaching the diaphragm," a detail corroborated by Island News. The child also tested positive for COVID, influenza and pneumonia, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, where Pili taught as an adjunct instructor, terminated her contract upon her arrest and the university removed her faculty page. She's also the adoptive mother of four other children, now in protective custody.
Details of the abuse reveal a disturbing episode of sustained violence, as Pili allegedly forced the victim to run to and from a chapel, then slapped and punched her multiple times over a span of approximately 30 minutes on the day of her death in December 2023, this according to a statement made by Lt. Thoemmes obtained by Hawaii News Now. In addition to extensive bruising and abrasions found on the child, signs of strangulation and two rib fractures were also noted during post-mortem examinations.
"Child torture is insidious. It is gradual, calculated, and systematic, and intended to break its victims completely," Lt. Thoemmes told Hawaii News Now. Pili, who holds a master’s degree in social work, is presumed innocent until proven guilty she will be arraigned on Thursday, if convicted of manslaughter—a Class A felony—she faces a prison term of 20 years without the possibility of suspension of sentence or probation.
In the wake of this incident, authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected child abuse by calling the Child Abuse Reporting Line at (808) 832-5300 on Oahu or 1-888-380-3088 on a neighbor island.
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