Still Missing HI - Ariel Sellers AKA 'Isabella Kalua', 6, last seen asleep in bdrm, Waimanalo, 12 Sep 2021*Arrests

[MarziPanda]

Ariel deserves better than this. She deserves justice. She was let down by the legal system in life and now it's letting her down in death, too.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Judge denies bail for woman accused of killing adopted daughter

A Honolulu judge denied bail on Friday for Lehua Kalua, a woman accused of killing her adopted daughter in 2021.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

September 5, 2025

A judge denied bail Friday for a woman accused of killing her adopted daughter.

Lehua Kalua and her husband, Isaac Kalua, are accused of murdering and dismembering the body of 6-year-old Isabella “Ariel” Kalua in 2021.

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Friday’s bail hearing for Lehua Kalua was initially scheduled for June, but it was pushed back several times because Kalua refused transport from jail.

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Lehua Kalua remains in custody at the Women’s Community Correctional Center while her husband is at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

Barring further delays, their trial is scheduled to begin in October.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Family Court Must Release Records In Isabella Kalua Abuse Death

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court on Tuesday broke with more than two decades of precedent to order the release of 975 pages showing how the 6-year-old was placed with parents now accused of killing her.

www.civilbeat.org

October 1, 2025

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court on Tuesday broke with more than two decades of precedent to order the release of 975 pages showing how the 6-year-old was placed with parents now accused of killing her.

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The Hawaiʻi Family Court that placed Isabella Kalua with foster parents now accused of killing her must release records detailing the process that led to one of the state’s most notorious child abuse deaths, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

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As a practical matter, the decision means that 975 pages of records about Isabella’s placement as a foster child and eventual adoption by Lehua and Isaac Kalua are now subject to release. The state’s Department of Human Services has never publicly accounted for its actions in the case, including why it recommended the Kaluas adopt the girl.

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The court agreed with Public First’s argument that “the death of any child by parents that DHS recommended deserves the hard light of public scrutiny to assess what went wrong and how to fix it.”

The court also called on a Family Court committee to draft an amendment governing disclosure of records when a child has died, been critically injured or is missing.

“DHS respects the decision of the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court and will work with the Court to implement that decision,” the department wrote in response to a request for comment.

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See article for more.

The last we heard, the trial had been rescheduled for October 2025. According to this article, the trial is now scheduled for February 2026. That means there have now been 12 delays.

 

[Knox]

I swear, if this trial gets continued into 2026, I'm going to lose it on Judge Paul Wong. He's had this case before him since JANUARY 2022!!!!!!!!!!!!

I honestly didn’t think it was possible, but here we are!!!

 

[Knox]

Court Hearing 1/9/26
Trial Scheduled 2/2/26

http://jimspss1.courts.state.hi.us:8080/eCourt/ECC/CaseSearch.iface

 

[legalmomma]

This is just horrific how the system failed her.
Is the court trying to protect the Family Court and DHS for the foster care and adoption approval??
This trial date better stick!

Unsealed Records Reveal Concerning Details In Foster Girl’s Death

In response to a Hawaiʻi Supreme Court decision, case files in one of Hawaiʻi's most notorious child abuse cases were unsealed. They reveal how the state and experts ignored multiple warnings before Ariel Sellers died.

www.civilbeat.org

 

[Knox]

This is just horrific how the system failed her.
Is the court trying to protect the Family Court and DHS for the foster care and adoption approval??
This trial date better stick!

Unsealed Records Reveal Concerning Details In Foster Girl’s Death

In response to a Hawaiʻi Supreme Court decision, case files in one of Hawaiʻi's most notorious child abuse cases were unsealed. They reveal how the state and experts ignored multiple warnings before Ariel Sellers died.

www.civilbeat.org

Certainly seems like it to me. Have you seen the court record, if not take a peek. It's going to need it's own repository for file storage ... ridiculous!!!

 

[mickey2942]

Certainly seems like it to me. Have you seen the court record, if not take a peek. It's going to need it's own repository for file storage ... ridiculous!!!

An ongoing issue, in every single state. Florida, California, Montana, Illinois, New York...it is the same story over and over.

I am not impressed with the privatization of placement. Foster care would probably go better to institutionalized. Because so many people do it for cash. And that is a problem.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Here we go again -- another trial delay (the 13th delay.)

Murder trial delayed for Waimanalo couple accused of killing adopted daughter

A judge granted a continuance for Isaac and Lehua Kalua, who are being tried for the death of 6-year old Ariel Sellers, also known as Isabella Kalua.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

January 23, 2026

The trial for a Waimanalo couple accused of torturing and killing their adopted daughter is now delayed until August.

A judge granted a continuance Friday for Isaac and Lehua Kalua after Isaac got a new attorney this month.

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https://www.khon2.com/hawaii-crime/postponed-isabella-kalua-murder-trial-delay-affecting-civil-case/

January 23, 2026

Another delay in the Isabella Kalua murder trial is slowing a related civil lawsuit.

The criminal case is now set for August 2026, and it impacts depositions and timelines on the civil side.

(More in linked article.)

 

[OceanElix]

You have got to be kidding

 

[mickey2942]

Not surprised. The record so far is Jorge Barahona, for killing Nubia Barahona. We are going on 15 years for that one, still no trial.

MOO, is that the state is not even interested in these cases going to trial and showing glaring issues with CPS, adoption and foster care system.

 

[Knox]

Here we go again -- another trial delay (the 13th delay.)

Murder trial delayed for Waimanalo couple accused of killing adopted daughter

A judge granted a continuance for Isaac and Lehua Kalua, who are being tried for the death of 6-year old Ariel Sellers, also known as Isabella Kalua.

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

January 23, 2026

The trial for a Waimanalo couple accused of torturing and killing their adopted daughter is now delayed until August.

A judge granted a continuance Friday for Isaac and Lehua Kalua after Isaac got a new attorney this month.

*****

https://www.khon2.com/hawaii-crime/postponed-isabella-kalua-murder-trial-delay-affecting-civil-case/

January 23, 2026

Another delay in the Isabella Kalua murder trial is slowing a related civil lawsuit.

The criminal case is now set for August 2026, and it impacts depositions and timelines on the civil side.

(More in linked article.)

Five years almost as long as Isabella was alive!!!!