State had ‘unconfirmed’ reports of child abuse in Sarai Perez-Rivera’s home

The death of 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Rivera was listed among the five Hawaii children who died in fiscal year 2024 due to maltreatment, according to a federally mandated state report.

The report says that the family of the 3-year-old girl was engaged in services through a Child Welfare Services diversion program.

The “family had two prior unconfirmed reports of physical abuse/neglect and medical neglect of a different child,” the report says.

The Hawaii Department of Human Services today released the annual Child Fatality Report, mandated by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The report covers the 2024 fiscal year which was from July 1, 2023, through June 30.

Physical abuse and neglect of Perez-Rivera have been confirmed, authorities said.

On June 13, she was found unresponsive at the family’s Kapolei home and taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

“Child had suspicious injuries that were not consistent with explanations provided by family members,” the report says.

Perez-Rivera’s mother, Janae Perez, and her mother’s girlfriend, Ashleigh Utley, were indicted this week on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the girl’s starvation death, along with other charges related to Sarai and her siblings.

They were also indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree attempted assault, kidnapping of Perez’s three eldest children, including Sarai, first-degree hindering prosecution, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, two counts of persistent nonsupport, and two counts of abuse of family or household members.

In a written statement, DHS officials said, “Ensuring the safety and well-being of children is at the heart of everything we do. We rely on the community to play a vital role in keeping children safe. If you see or hear something concerning—or even if you just have a feeling that something isn’t right—please don’t hesitate to report it.

“Be as descriptive as possible. Trust your instincts and call the CWS (Child Welfare Services) hotline or 911 if you believe a child may be at risk of child abuse or neglect. Your call could be the first step in getting a child the help they need.

In the statement, DHS officials said the department “continues to grieve with the community over the loss of this child.”

They said they are unable to comment further on the Perez case due to litigation. Perez-Rivera’s grandmother, Leah Schnabel, filed a civil lawsuit against DHS on Tuesday.

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The CWS hotline is available 24/7 at 808-832-5300 (Oahu) or 888-380-3088 (Hawaii Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kauai).