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Big Island mom
sought in murder
of baby girl

'Sara' Mulder, 23,
has been indicted in
the infant's death by neglect

---

By Rod Thompson
Big Island correspondent

HILO -- Big Island police are looking for a 23-year-old woman accused of murdering her infant daughter by starving her to death.

A grand jury indicted Saraswati Gopi Mulder this week for murder in the death of her 2 1/2-month-old daughter Manjari last year.

Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura issued a warrant for Mulder's arrest and set bail at $1 million after a grand jury found that she caused the death of her child by failing to nourish her and failing to obtain prompt medical assistance.

Deputy Prosecutor Lincoln Ashida said it is believed Mulder has left the country.

Police documents filed in District Court paint a picture of a young mother distrustful of medical doctors, resorting to nonmedical practitioners and under the influence of a strong-willed woman friend.

The child was born Aug. 9, 1999, and died Oct. 27, 1999, the documents say.

When county paramedics arrived at the home of the friend in Tiki Gardens, south of Hilo, where "Sara" Mulder was staying, they found the child dead. A policeman said the dead child was so thin he could see her veins, sinews, tendons and skeleton.

Mulder told a paramedic her daughter suffered constant diarrhea and vomiting since she was born, the documents say. Mulder thought the child suffered from a neurological disorder because of constant twitching and rolling of her head.

Mulder's friend, who described herself as a "certified nurse attendant," advocated homeopathic and naturopathic medicine. A neighbor described the friend as "explosive," swearing at her own children, the documents say.

Mulder took the child to a chiropractor who adjusted her neck, according to the documents. An investigating police officer said he was shocked such a thing would be done on an infant.

Two weeks before the child's death, Mulder also took the child to a naturopathic doctor, who told Mulder this was a life-and-death situation, gave her some "probiotic" infant formula and advised Mulder to take the child to a medical doctor.

Mulder told the naturopath that she believed her baby was getting lead from her breast milk. The naturopath told her to breast-feed the child anyway.

Medical doctor Mark Cohen told police he had contact with the mother only when the child was born. He told police it was "criminal" that the child did not receive further medical attention.