HONOLULU (KHON2) — A hearing to unseal court documents in the Isabella Kalua case is scheduled for Wednesday. Isaac and Lehua Kalua, the adoptive parents of Isabella Kalua, remain in custody awaiting trial for the 6 year old’s murder.
The Public First Law Center filed motions in Family Court to unseal portions of Isabella’s adoption and foster care records. The law firm wants the court to release the Department of Human Services reports regarding the fitness of the Kalua’s as parents and records showing why the court approved Isabella’s placement with them.
Family Court records are protected by privacy laws and often called “ghost cases” by legal experts.
“I think people are really frustrated that there aren’t easy answers, there haven’t been immediate steps taken to try to prevent this,” said Sen. Chris Lee, (D) Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawaii Kai.
The motion states, the Kalua’s had past felony charges along with financial issues and even filed for bankruptcy while Isabella was their foster child. It adds, the state recommended Isabella be placed with the Kalua’s as foster parents then adoption despite serious signs of abuse and neglect.