Even with Wednesday’s stunning development in the tragic case of Isabella Kalua, it’s still too early to make a full list of all the lessons to be learned from it.

There is at least this: It does take a village to raise a child, especially one who endured so much turbulence in her short life. The whereabouts of Isabella, also known as Ariel Sellers, was the focus of a dedicated group of residents from her home of Waimanalo — a village that today wishes it had that chance to raise her.

On Saturday, Isabella would have turned 7. Four days later, the Honolulu Police Department shifted from a missing-persons search posture to that of a homicide investigation. Her remains have not been recovered, police said.

The child’s adoptive parents, Isaac and Lehua Kalua, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and then were charged. Isabella’s three sisters, ages 12, 3 and 1, who had been foster children living in the Kalua home, already had been removed from the couple’s custody.

The timeline, which now has come to light, shows why this couple’s history with the fostering and adoption of Isabella must get the appropriate scrutiny.

The Kaluas had called 911 on Sept. 13 and reported that they had last seen the girl the night before, in her bedroom, and that she had left the house in the middle of the night. Based on security camera footage available in the area, police concluded that was not the case, and that they suspect the child had been killed a month earlier.

Full details have not been forthcoming yet from HPD, which is not surprising at this relatively early stage of the case. It was encouraging, in fact, to see the department tell the community, and the general public, what it could — and pledge to come back with timely updates.

The Kaluas’ neighbors and the extended community circle of caring adults had organized several search parties to look for the child with HPD, and they held vigils, pressing for progress on the case.

“It’s clear that Ariel was loved and missed by many people,” said interim Chief Rade Vanic, using the child’s birth name during a news conference.

The FBI’s Honolulu field office was integral to the investigation advancing to this point, police said. It is good to see this kind of cooperative effort applied to such a sensitive case.

The community does have an opportunity now to do its part. Maj. Ben Moszkowicz, Criminal Investigation Division, said HPD needs reports from anyone who may have interacted with the victim or her sisters between 2019 and August 2021, or may have seen the elder Kaluas between August and September this year.

They are urged to call CrimeStoppers at 808-955-8300. Dialing *CRIME on a mobile device, making contact online (honolulucrimestoppers.org) or using the P3 Tips mobile app also would work for submitting information anonymously. It is critical to find the child’s body, and Moszkowicz said community leads would help.

The principal question — how did these children come to live in this household? — already is being asked by the public. Surely, officials of the state’s Child Welfare Services Branch must be scrutinizing the history of this case, ensuring that any gaps in protocols are closed.

Further, the fact that Isabella was withdrawn from enrollment in Waimanalo Elementary School should be reviewed, although in the context of the pandemic and distance learning, many parents have opted to homeschool children.

A lot of clouds must clear before any needed fixes can be made, but there’s a reason “If you see something, say something” is a phrase so often invoked. It’s so sad that wasn’t done in time to save Isabella.