Waimea man reverses plea, admits guilt in death of girl

A 37-year-old Hawaii island man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a 3-year-old girl, abuse of her two sisters, and abuse of her mother.

Ezekiel Wakinekona pleaded guilty June 8 to the charge of manslaughter in the Jan. 15 death of Marley Makanani, who was living with him, his wife and their children, along with Makanani’s two sisters.

Makanani suffered brain damage from a near drowning, head trauma and abdominal injuries. Her death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner’s office.

Wakinekona originally pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and two counts of abuse on Feb. 2, but changed his plea before Judge Ronald Ibarra in Hawaii Circuit Court in Hilo.

Wakinekona also pleaded guilty to two counts of abuse of Makanani’s two sisters, ages 2 and 6 at the time. The abuse of the sisters was discovered after Makanani was taken to the hospital Jan. 13, and emergency room doctors found evidence of abuse.

The sisters were also examined and doctors found evidence of abuse. The older girl had bruises, a lump on the back of the head and pain to her rib cage she attributed to her "Uncle Eze." The younger girl had a cut lip and facial marks.

Wakinekona also pleaded guilty to abuse of a family or household member in a family court case.

A Family Court complaint reveals Makanani may have witnessed the Sept. 5 abuse of her mother, Tasha Nihau-Lindsey.

The complaint alleged Wakinekona had abused Makanani’s mother in the presence of two minors, listed by the initials J.M. and M.M., presumably her daughters, including Marley Makanani.

Deputy Prosecutor Shannon Kagawa said she could not say whether the minors include Makanani. Nihau-Lindsey, who is a relative of Wakinekona’s wife, was not living with the Wakinekonas and her daughters in January at the time of her daughter’s death, she said.

Nihau-Lindsey was present at the change-of-plea hearing at Hawaii Circuit Court in Hilo, but did not speak, Kagawa said.

A relative of Makanani’s father said Nihau-Lindsey had taken the three girls to Hawaii island and left them with the Wakinekonas in the fall.

Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment for all the charges by agreeing to concurrent sentencing. Wakinekona was facing an additional three years for the three abuse charges.

Sentencing for the Waimea man is scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 24 in Hilo.

Makanani’s two sisters were placed in the custody of state Child Welfare Services.

Hawaii County Prosecutor Charlene Iboshi said: "The defendant was remorseful, wanted to resolve it so the families can go forward. It’s a very difficult situation.

"The sad part of the situation is a young child died. In any kind of a domestic, it tears everybody apart. No one wants to lose a child."