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No contest plea
By Debra Barayuga
in child assault case
Star-BulletinA 26-year-old woman accused of assault by omission for failing to inform doctors her 3-year-old son may have ingested crystal methamphetamine has pleaded no contest to the charge.
Brandie Uilani Leong faces up to 10 years in prison for attempted first-degree assault when sentenced Jan. 10.
But she is seeking a deferred acceptance of her plea, which means the conviction could be wiped clean if she stays out of trouble for a designated period.
Leong's attorney, William Harrison, said he hopes the judge will grant her request since she has no prior criminal history.
While Leong does not believe she is responsible for the child ingesting the methamphetamine, she feels very responsible for the child obtaining proper medical care, Harrison said.
Leong did bring her son to the emergency room and returned him again when he began twitching and moving strangely, having difficulty speaking and sleeping, according to police.
She did not tell doctors her suspicions the first time because she was afraid Child Protective Services would take her son away from her, Harrison said.
Leong was at work at the time the child allegedly drank from a shot glass placed on a surfboard at their Kailua home. Leong later admitted she suspected her son had consumed crystal methamphetamine because she had seen her brother a couple weeks before mixing the drug and acetone in the glass.
The state contends Leong failed to tell doctors because she was afraid she would be arrested.
A doctor who treated the boy had said that failing to disclose information surrounding a child's condition could endanger the child and affect their ability to provide proper medical care.
The child is now in the care of his natural father.
