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Hawaii NewsNewswatch

Former UH volleyball star released in daughter’s death

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GEORGE F. LEE / 2003

Rainbow Wahine volleyball player Kim Willoughby and coach Dave Shoji. Police in Puerto Rico had said in 2016 that Willoughby told them her 3-year-old daughter slipped in the shower and died after hitting her head.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico >> A judge in Puerto Rico has found there is not enough evidence to charge a former U.S. Olympic volleyball player who played at Hawaii in the 2016 death of her young daughter.

Police had accused Kim Willoughby of murder and child abuse in the case. It was not immediately clear whether Willoughby, who played collegiate volleyball and basketball at Hawaii, had an attorney.

Police had said in 2016 that Willoughby told them her 3-year-old daughter slipped in the shower and died after hitting her head.

On Friday police presented charges, but a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to charge her.

Willoughby had played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won a silver medal. She later played with a team in Puerto Rico.

Woman convicted of assaulting infant

A Kauai woman has been convicted of second-degree assault of a 10-month-old infant she was caring for back in 2013.

Chief Circuit Court Judge Randal G.B. Valenciano convicted Michelle Galvez, 42, of Kapaa, of felony assault that took place on Oct. 24, 2013, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

This conviction was obtained following a joint investigation conducted by the Kauai Police Department, the Investigations Division of the Kauai Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Honolulu Police Department and the Investigations Division of the Department of the Attorney General.

Deputy Attorney General Michelle Puu represented the prosecution, while attorney Emmanuel Guerrero represented Galvez.

Galvez faces a mandatory five-year prison term and must serve a mandatory one year and eight months before she will be eligible for parole.

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