Found Deceased HI - Smriti Saxena, 41, asthma attack, husband left to get inhaler, Big Island, 18 Feb 2020 *arrest*

[KonaHonu]

I would expect authorities to wait for autopsy results before arresting him if the asthma was indeed true...they clearly have info that points to him.

I live on the Big Island and have spent literally hundreds of nights at the Marriott. It's not a long walk. I've made that walk dozens of times. It would be pretty dark because that night there was a quarter moon that rose about 3:30 in the morning so no moon at the time. The Marriott would be the closest place to go except Lava Lava. Even though they closed at 9:00 there would have been staff there cleaning up.

The police know it is her body. They just are not saying it publicly until it is confirmed which will happen later today I'm sure. The husband has been arrested likely because they don't want him to leave the island. All of this is typical. If she actually died of an asthma attack, which can be confirmed by autopsy, case closed and they will release him. Otherwise there may be additional information released.

 

[RememberingRyan]

Could failing to bring his wife her inhaler in time for her to, well, not stop breathing be grounds for a 2nd-degree murder charge (to be precise, he was arrested “on suspicion of second degree murder”)?

I think 40-50 minutes for him to go get the inhaler for her (per the article linked in my previous post) is an unusually long time...

ETA: The article states that the couple walked 20 minutes to the beach bar from their hotel, so if he went back to their room I guess that 40-50 minutes makes more sense.
But if you could afford to vacation in Hawaii every year with a family of 4, and your spouse had a medical emergency that required you to rush back to your hotel to get their medication, why on Earth wouldn’t you immediately hail a taxi or call for an Uber to get you there and back as quickly as possible?!

Yes. "Extreme Indifference to Human Life" is one of the classifications for 2nd degree murder charges, essentially negligent homicide. Hypothetically, it is possible that the deceased did simply die as a consequence of being unattended during an asthma attack. In this hypothesis it is also possible that there is a reasonable expectation that an average person in the spouse's position would have known that leaving her unattended would have resulted in death and that there were appropriate actions a reasonable person in the same scenario could have taken to prevent that death which this person did not take.

 

[insearchoflight]

Yes. "Extreme Indifference to Human Life" is one of the classifications for 2nd degree murder charges, essentially negligent homicide. Hypothetically, it is possible that the deceased did simply die as a consequence of being unattended during an asthma attack. In this hypothesis it is also possible that there is a reasonable expectation that an average person in the spouse's position would have known that leaving her unattended would have resulted in death and that there were appropriate actions a reasonable person in the same scenario could have taken to prevent that death which this person did not take.

This is definitely a curious case. I think a person running back to the hotel to get the inhaler is probably best course of action. In addition to that, I’d also be calling 911 while on the way to get inhaler. I guess it depends upon how serious the asthma attack seemed to be and her history or asthma. He’s been with her for a very long time so I’m assuming he knows about her asthma history. There has got to be more to this story. For a suspicion of murder arrest? Seems there has to be more than to the story we have.

 

[swanniee11]

https://www.facebook.com/smriti.saxena

 

[scdiv]

Google manager arrested after wife’s body found on Hawaii beach

https://nypost.com/2020/02/20/google-manager-arrested-after-wifes-body-found-on-hawaii-beach/

Sonam Saxena on Twitter

 

[flashy09]

I know we don't know the whole story and there is (maybe??) a chance he is innocent....but what kind of scum of the earth murders a child's mother while celebrating the child's birthday on vacation?? I am sure he was drunk and it was rage from an argument, but still it just seems especially heinous.

 

[zecats]

Exactly how hard did he look for her that night? She was found near where he left her. AND....he took the children to help search for her.
BBM

Husband Claimed Wife Vanished on Hawaii Beach Vacation — Now He's Charged with Murder

The couple’s children helped in searching for their mother Tuesday night.

But on Wednesday morning, the body of a woman believed to be Smriti was discovered near the Bay where she went missing, according to police.
Police have not disclosed evidence that led them to arrest Saxena.

An autopsy is scheduled to determine her cause of death.

Police ask anyone who may have been in the south beach area of ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay Tuesday evening to contact Detective Keith Simeona at (808) 326-4646 x281 or email [email protected] or call the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

 

[Beth11311]

Hinkey meters seem to be spot on with this one. Very sad. I'm racking my brain what his motive for murdering her would possibly be. Seems he had one. JMO

Yeah, I immediately went “uh oh”. They moved exceptionally fast...I imagine it had something to do with the state of her body.

Those poor kids, omg. Can you imagine? The poor 13 year old, her bday will always be ruined by her monster of a father. Ugh

 

[meanmaryjean]

So let me get this straight.

They go for a walk.
She does not have her inhaler but DOES have her cell.
Has an asthma attack.
Instead of calling for help- he hikes back to resort.
Does not summon help
Gets inhaler
Does not summon help
Walks BACK to where he claims to have left her- she's not there
Does not summon help (remember her purse and phone were still there!)
Goes BACK to resort > back to room> she's not there either
Back down to lobby and then, finally, tells someone to call 9-1-1?

Yeah, that's totally the believable story of a worried spouse.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Hmmmm. No call to 911 for an emergency inhaler? No Googling the nearest hotel phone Number to see if someone can run down to the beach and help? Maybe even text the oldest child, please bring Moms inhaler to the beach entrance, I’ll be right there? All the while Mom’s struggling? I’m not buying it. None of it.

Poor lady. Poor kids.

 

[kelsie]

A Google manager has been arrested and charged with murder after his wife was reported missing in Hawaii

Later that day, Hawaii Island Police arrested Sonam and charged him with murder in the second degree after discovering a female body on the beach "in the general area where Smriti Saxena was reported as a missing person and last seen Tuesday evening," Hawaii police wrote in a news release. A Hawaii Island Police spokesperson told Business Insider that an autopsy was scheduled. Police have yet to positively ID the body.

Smriti and Sonam both lived and worked in the Seattle area, where Sonam worked for Google and Smriti worked for Microsoft.

Sonam Saxena (@SonamSaxena) | Twitter Sonam's twitter

 

[kelsie]

Husband Claimed Wife Vanished on Hawaii Beach Vacation — Now He's Charged with Murder

Saxena told the paper he and his wife had been married for 17 years and have two children, ages 13 and 8. The family went to Hawaii every year to celebrate their eldest child’s birthday.

The couple’s children helped in searching for their mother Tuesday night.

But on Wednesday morning, the body of a woman believed to be Smriti was discovered near the Bay where she went missing, according to police.

Police have not disclosed evidence that led them to arrest Saxena.

 

[lucky181]

"A man arrested on suspicion of murder remains in custody as authorities determine whether to proceed with charges or release him........an autopsy on the victim began today, but is not yet completed. It will determine the exact cause of death.....Police are allowed to hold Saxena for 48 hours before filing official charges."

https://bigislandnow.com/2020/02/20/washington-man-suspected-of-murder-remains-in-custody/

 

[musicaljoke]

For those who are familiar with this beach, would she have been vulnerable to a physical attack by a stranger when she was left alone on the beach?

I hope that the children are receiving good care.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Bellevue woman found dead near Hawaii beach, husband arrested

 

[yawningreyhound]

Exactly how hard did he look for her that night? She was found near where he left her. AND....he took the children to help search for her.
BBM

So he's saying he went back to the room, got the inhaler AND THE KIDS? and went back to her, but she was missing so he went BACK to the hotel, all the while the kids are trailing along? I also think what he was quoted about going to the hotel for her inhaler is just BS. No one talks like that to a person during an asthma attack, all conversational and whatnot. I can't wait to hear what happened at the Lava Lava before they left.

 

[Herat]

He could take the time to bring the children along ( likely waking them from their beds) to go search the beach in the pitch dark.

Yet he couldn’t call 911.?

Why didn’t he run to the restaurant to have them call 911 or maybe even stay with her while he ran to the room

I’d be afraid of losing the children in the dark or having them get hurt.

His story doesn’t work for me AT ALL.

 

[KonaHonu]

This is definitely a curious case. I think a person running back to the hotel to get the inhaler is probably best course of action. In addition to that, I’d also be calling 911 while on the way to get inhaler. I guess it depends upon how serious the asthma attack seemed to be and her history or asthma. He’s been with her for a very long time so I’m assuming he knows about her asthma history. There has got to be more to this story. For a suspicion of murder arrest? Seems there has to be more than to the story we have.

His story does not make sense...BUT...there is no requirement to provide first aid so even if he stood there and watched her die, it would not be a crime. I don't think this is going to end with a trial unless there is far more to the story than has been reported.

 

[jbennett]

Cause of death will be interesting and, IMO, determine whether or not charges are filed against him.

 

[Laughing]

Hmmmm. No call to 911 for an emergency inhaler? No Googling the nearest hotel phone Number to see if someone can run down to the beach and help? Maybe even text the oldest child, please bring Moms inhaler to the beach entrance, I’ll be right there? All the while Mom’s struggling? I’m not buying it. None of it.

Poor lady. Poor kids.

BBM

Yeah, this exactly. He works for a large company, they have medical insurance!!! Skip the taxi -- call for an ambulance! 911 is prepared to help you decide if you can reach an urgent care, decide if you need EMTs, decide if you need to be transported to a hospital!

Call them, they expect it!

Peace & comfort to her daughters & loved ones!