John Jefferson
Insets: Janae Perez and Ashleigh Utley (KITV/YouTube). Background: The apartment where 3-year-old Sarai Perez-Rivera was allegedly abused and murdered (KITV/YouTube).
A mother in Hawaii is behind bars, along with her girlfriend, for allegedly starving and beating her 3-year-old daughter to death using belts, paddles, sticks and slippers to pound on the toddler — while also limiting her water intake to 8 ounces a day — along with her three of her siblings, ages 2 through 6, who managed to survive the “disturbing” abuse, according to police.
“First responders found Sarai malnourished and pulseless, with ashen skin and bruises to her legs, hips, arms, face, back and head,” explained Honolulu Police Department Lt. Deena Thoemmes at a press conference last Thursday after announcing the arrests of Janae Perez and Ashley Utley for the death of Perez’s daughter, Sarai Perez-Rivera, in June 2024, according to Hawaii News Now.
“Through the investigation, it was learned that Janae and Ashley limited Sarai and her siblings intake of water and food,” Thoemmes said. “Janae and Ashley did not allow them to eat often and only allowed them to drink 8 ounces of water a day.”
A woman who used to live with Perez and Utley allegedly went to police and told them about most of the abuse after Perez-Rivera’s biological father first reported her death last year. The pair wasn’t charged until last week, with local prosecutors handing down second-degree murder charges to both of them, along with other charges related to the alleged abuse and neglect. Perez-Rivera’s death was listed by officials as being caused by the combined effects of dehydration and starvation. The surviving children are now in protective custody.
During interviews with police, the woman who lived with Perez and Utley claimed the couple would “mainly whack the kids with their hands, but also hit the children with sticks and paddles,” per Thoemmes.
“Janae and Ashley would primarily hit the children with their hands, sticks, paddles, slippers and belts to all parts of their body,” the police official said. “There was also disturbing video of Sarai crying and in severe discomfort and distress saying that she had to use the bathroom and that she was thirsty. In response, Janae repeatedly yelled and swore at her.”
On one occasion, Perez and Utley allegedly beat the 6-year-old who was living in the home after he tried to run away — using a stick and screwdriver, according to court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KITV.
“I remember hearing them multiple times just cry upstairs,” a neighbor told the station. “Some of them were crying. Some of them didn’t really know what was going on.”
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The woman who spoke to police about the abuse said Perez and Utley would carry out their attacks while the other children would watch and listen from their rooms and other parts of the house.
When they were first taken into custody, Perez and Utley tried accusing the 5-year-old child who was living in the home with them of being behind Perez-Rivera’s death, which was allegedly disproven during the police investigation.
The 6-year-old told police that his sister was making noises on the day she died that he reportedly described as being “weird” and similar to someone who sounded like they were “suffering.” The 5-year-old allegedly told investigators that Perez-Rivera went “up, up” to see Jesus and he asked police if Jesus had food in heaven because his mom told them that Jesus does not eat or have food.
“Just pure sadness,” the family’s neighbor told KITV. “I hope that she (Perez-Rivera) gets the justice that she needs. And the other children, I hope that they’re taken care of now.”
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