Hawaii County police arrest foster mom in July 2017 death of 3-year-old boy

Hawaii County police announced Thursday the arrest of a 44-year-old woman on suspicion of second-degree murder in the death last summer of a 3-year-old Big Island boy, who was covered in bruises.

Chasity Alcosiba of Honokaa was served Wednesday with a warrant for arrest on suspicion of second-degree murder in the July 25, 2017, death of 3-year-old Fabian Garett-Garcia. She was released from custody pending charges.

Jeffrey Foster, attorney for the boy’s family, identified the woman as the boy’s foster mother, under whose care Garett-Garcia was prior to his death.

Two different forensic pathologists performed the autopsy and concluded that the manner of death was nonaccidental head trauma, so police opened a murder investigation.

The first autopsy results were received Feb. 22 by the Hawaii County Police Department, seven months after Garett-Garcia’s death, but the manner of death was undetermined. It initially was taken two days after his death, police said.

The final autopsy results prompted police to initiate a murder investigation. Police arrested Alcosiba at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday at her Honokaa home, where she provided foster care.

The 3-year-old’s medical records show he had bleeding to his eyes, bruising around his right eye, right forehead, left eyelid, right cheek, left chin, neck, right forearm, both knees, left shoulder blade and left flank.

Hospital records show he had been under the care of the foster parents since January 2017.

The foster parents told police that he fell July 12 while wearing a virtual reality headset and suffered a fall and injuries to his face and head. But they told police that he was not taken to the hospital for his injuries.

They also told hospital personnel that they found him facedown in his own vomit.

Foster said in March that the boy’s parents, Juben Garcia and Sherri Garett, did not abuse their children, but temporarily lost custody for other reasons and have since had their other children returned to them.