78
Hawaii County police are investigating the death of a toddler last November as murder after the results from an eight-month investigation and an autopsy were released.
On Nov. 25, police learned that Fire Department rescue personnel took an unresponsive 18-month-old boy to the hospital with multiple bruises reportedly from a fall several days earlier.
The toddler was later transferred to the Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu in critical condition. He was pronounced dead on Nov. 27.
The toddler has been identified as Rylee Sele-Pang of Kailua-Kona.
Juvenile Aid Section detectives had initially investigated the incident as a possible abuse case. Police deferred reclassifying it pending autopsy results.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office conducted extensive testing and analysis, which required the use of a mainland laboratory.
On July 23, after receiving the results of the testing and analysis, the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was complications of blunt force injuries of the head. As a result, detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section have reclassified the case as murder.
No arrests have been made.
