KAILUA-KONA — A Kona grand jury indicted a foster care mother last week for the alleged 2017 murder of a 3-year-old Waimea boy.
Chasity Alcosiba-McKenzie was indicted on one count of second-degree murder in the July 25, 2017, death of Fabian Garett-Garcia.
The indictment states Alcosiba-McKenzie intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Garett-Garcia, including voluntarily omitting to obtain reasonable, necessary and available medical service.
Police arrested Alcosiba-McKenzie in August 2018 on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, but charges were not filed until the Oct. 23 indictment.
She was the boy’s caregiver at the time of the incident
The arrest occurred after police earlier in the month received findings from a forensic pathologist that determined the boy died from non-accidental blunt force trauma to the head.
The Honokaa woman was subsequently released, police said, after prosecutors declined to press charges at the time.
Alcosiba-McKenzie was arrested again Thursday and made her initial appearance before Kona Circuit Judge Melvin Fujino, during which she pleaded not guilty.
Bail was originally set at $500,000; however, Fujino lowered it to $10,000 despite the state’s objection.
Fabian died at 7:54 p.m. July 25, 2017, at North Hawaii Community Hospital, just 37 minutes after emergency responders got the initial 911 call reporting an emergency involving the toddler at a Hoohoa Street home in Waimea.
Hawaii Fire Department personnel found “Fabian lifeless and lying face down beside a pool of his own vomit on a bed” in the McKenzie residence. Responders also observed “various stages of bruising” on the boy’s head, neck and body and “copious amounts of brown-color food-type vomitus in his throat,” according to a lawsuit filed by Fabian’s parents, Sherri-Ann Garett and Juben Garcia against the state, Catholic Charities, the caregivers and others for the wrongful death of their son.
Alcosiba-McKenzie — who the state licensed, appointed and compensated to provide temporary custodial care for children — told responders the bruising was caused by a fall from a 3-foot bench two weeks prior.
At the Waimea hospital, ER personnel “immediately suspected Fabian was a victim of child abuse.”
Trial is set for Jan. 7, 2020.
Email Laura Ruminski at lruminski@westhawaiitoday.com.