A grandma from Hawaii escaped a manslaughter charge after her granddaughter reportedly died of malnutrition while under her care.
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According to a lengthy
press release by the County of Hawai'i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, the granddaughter, Shaelynn Lehano-Stone, 9, died in 2016 of malnutrition. There were also contributory causes of acute pneumonia and acute pyelonephritis, which is a kidney infection. The grandma, Henrietta Stone, 67, was sentenced on February 13 this year and had custody of her granddaughter when she died.The 9-year-old reportedly only weighed 45 pounds and was 53 inches tall at the time of her death. Per a report by the Associated Press from 2021, Deputy Prosecutor Suzanna Tiapula described Shaelynn's weight as "what she had weighed when she was four years old."
Tiapula also told the judge, "The refrigerators in that home, your honor, had alarms, so she couldn't access that food."
The press release explains that the court sentenced Henrietta to 10 years probation in connection with her granddaughter's death. She also has credit for any time served between 2017 and 2024. The judge also ordered that she not serve any additional jail time.
Henrietta appeared in Hilo Circuit Court in February 2024, where she entered a 'no contest' plea to the charge of Manslaughter. She was also held on a $100,000 bail. Sentencing was originally due in April last year but continued at the request of her defense council. Prosecutors pushed for the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The Prosecuting Attorney Is Unhappy With The Sentence
Per the press release, Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen explains his disappointment with the verdict as his office was pushing for a harsher penalty.
"There aren't words to describe my disappointment and frustration in the outcome of this case. Shaelynn and our community deserved much better. Her death was caused by the three people who she should have been able to trust the most. We will not let this result discourage our ongoing efforts to protect our Keiki."
The press release also reveals what happened to Shaelynn's parents. Henrietta's daughter, Tiffany Stone, and her husband, Kevin Lehano, were convicted of manslaughter in 2021. Both parents were given 10 years probation and two years behind bars. The prosecution pushed for the maximum sentence of 20 years for the parents during their trial.
