A 17-month-old Kailua girl who died after her mother backed into her with an SUV on Friday was the third child on Oahu to be fatally struck by a reversing vehicle since late 2015, Honolulu police said.
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office identified the girl in Friday’s incident as Leilani Steele of Kailua.
Her death was determined to be an accident, and the cause was multiple blunt force injuries, the office said.
Police said the 36-year-old mother was reversing a 2007 Honda CRV when the girl stepped into the driveway. Another child was in the SUV at the time, police said. No one else was hurt.
The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. at the girl’s home.
Lt. Carlene Lau of the Honolulu Police Department’s Vehicular Homicide Section said the case was an emotionally difficult one for police to investigate and the third such case in about 16 months.
In December 2015 a 1-year-old girl was fatally struck by a woman backing out of her driveway on Noholio Road in Waianae.
In November a 1-year-old boy was backed over by a 36-year-old man driving a Toyota 4Runner in Kapalama. The fatality occurred in the driveway of 1518 Auld Lane.
Lau said all three children were about the same age, and none of the vehicles had a rearview camera.
She said sometimes parents or caretakers do not realize how quick children can be at that age, and there should always be someone keeping an eye on them or holding their hand.
2 suspects arrested in Kakaako shooting
Police arrested two men in connection with a recent shooting in Kakaako that left a 46-year-old man in critical condition.
Officers arrested a 21-year-old man and 22-year-old man Saturday night on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Charges are pending.
At about 4 a.m. March 28 at 532 Cummins St., the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the chest following an altercation. Police said officers discovered the 46-year-old man inside a unit above a strip club, Club Sun.
Emergency Medical Services transported the victim in critical condition to the hospital.
Cardiac arrest, meth cited in airport death
The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said a 48-year-old man who died after he breached security at Honolulu Airport and was involved in a physical struggle with security died of complications from sudden cardiac arrest.
Charles Kosi of Paia died Feb. 18. The Medical Examiner’s Office said he also had methamphetamine in his system. Other conditions Kosi had included an enlarged heart and coronary artery disease.
At about 5:50 a.m., the Department of Transportation said, Kosi forced his way past security at the checkpoint exit of the Mokulele and Island Air carriers. He left the building through a secured door that leads to a walkway for passengers boarding flights when security grabbed him.
Kosi struggled with security after being detained, then became unresponsive. Authorities performed lifesaving measures before he was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
