Hilo mother charged with child abuse

A 24-year-old Hilo woman is accused of abusing and starving a 2-year-old girl in what police described as a heinous manner in March.

Lahiki Caitlyn Fujio Judd was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging her with first-degree assault, two counts each of second-degree assault and repeated failure to render aid.

The indictment makes Judd a co-defendant with Clayton Saragosa, Judd's former partner, who was arrested in March for abusing and starving Judd's then-two-year-old, now-three-year-old daughter.

“This happened over a period of time, but we responded to Hilo Benioff Medical Center on March 23, 2024. And soon after, we arrested her boyfriend on similar charges,” said Lt. Robert Pauole, chief of the Hawaii Police Department's Juvenile Services Division.

According to police, the child was admitted with various burn marks, physical signs of dehydration and malnutrition, bruises in various stages of healing, and a broken rib and femur, also in healing.

Due to the severity of her injuries and obvious starvation, the toddler was taken to Kapi'olani Women's and Children's Medical Center for further treatment.

“She was there for a little over 10 days,” Pauole said.

According to Pauole, the child remains in the care of the youth welfare office, which has placed him with a foster family.

“We interviewed her recently and she is doing much better health-wise,” he said. “I would say she is doing much better than the night we came to the hospital.”

Judd appeared before Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto on Thursday. Assistant Public Defender Belinda Castillo told the judge that the public defender's office is representing Saragosa in the case and cannot represent Judd.

Nakamoto ordered Judd to return at 8 a.m. on September 17 to discuss the status of counsel, the indictment, and the plea.

Judd is free on parole, a form of cashless bail.

Saragosa, 31, is free on $100,000 bail and is charged with first- and second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of domestic violence.

When Saragosa was arrested, two of his biological sons, ages 12 and 13, who were living at Saragosa's Mountain View home, were taken into protective custody for their safety and later turned over to CWS. Two other sons of Saragosa's from a previous relationship, ages 8 and 4, who were there for a weekend visit, were also taken into protective custody and turned over to their mother.

CWS launched an investigation into the health and safety of all children in the residence.

In court documents, police said Judd told Officer Saragosa that his alleged abuse of the child was a “disciplinary measure” because the girl did not say “please” or “may I.”

Judd also claimed, according to the documents, that Saragosa would become “angry” when she fed the girl and that she would secretly give the toddler food whenever Saragosa left the house. Judd reportedly told police that when the child is fed, she “gobbles it down” because she is obviously starving.

In addition, Judd allegedly said that Saragosa told her that the open wounds on both of the girl's legs and feet were the result of the toddler sitting or stepping on a hot car battery.

First-degree assault is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while second-degree assault is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Domestic violence and persistent failure to provide support are misdemeanors.

According to the documents, neither Judd nor Saragosa have been previously convicted of a crime.

Email John Burnett at [email protected].