FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Inmate mothers spent three hours with their children yesterday at the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua during Kid's Day. Mom Robbie Tani (right) read to her kids, from left, Randi Tani, Cameron Tani and Kaleo Wong.

Imprisoned moms
receive gift of kids’
visits for Mother’s Day

Prison officials say the visits are
essential for saving relationships

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By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com

Maxine Cantrell stood in line with her niece Justice about 1 p.m. yesterday, waiting to sign in at the guard shack fronting the Women's Community Correctional Center.

After the guard checked a list, Cantrell walked to the barbwire fence where her sister, Sugarbabe Cantrell, dressed in a blue uniform, awaited the arrival of her 2-year-old daughter.

Soon after the guard opened the door, Sugarbabe, 26, picked up and hugged Justice.

Cantrell walked to the recreational field where she and about 60 other inmates at WCCC celebrated Mother's Day with their children. Mother's Day was also slated as Kid's Day for the inmates at the Kailua facility. Ninety children visited their mothers enjoying arts and crafts, volleyball and books, toys and stuffed animals donated by state employees.

Kid's Day is held six times a year during holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas allowing mothers to spend three hours with their children instead of the usual 60-minute visitation time slot allotted to each inmate every weekend.

"We want to keep them bonded together," said Ted Sakai, director of the state Department of Public Safety.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Ninety children visited their mothers and enjoyed activities like arts and crafts at yesterday's Kid's Day. Among the people spending time together were Sugarbabe Cantrell and her 2-year-old daughter, Justice.

Generally, 99 percent of women at the prison will return home once their sentence ends, Sakai said.

Chianti "Serena" Camara, who was once in prison for drug-related crimes, said, "It (Kid's Day) makes a huge difference."

Camara, who has three children, is now a member of the Community Advisory Board on Female Offenders and a community placement coordinator at Matlock Hale, a work furlough and treatment facility where women are taught skills to prepare them to return to society.

Marian Tsuji, deputy director of the Corrections Division, said most women at the facility are incarcerated for less than two years. However, "two years to a small kid is forever," Tsuji said.

"It's important that they maintain that relationship," she added.

Inmate Vickie Angel helped piece together a puzzle with her 2-year-old son, Matthew Huh. Angel, who was convicted of robbery and drug-related offenses, said it is difficult for her to miss moments of her children's lives as Huh and her two daughters grow while she is incarcerated.

"He couldn't even really talk when I got here," Angel said. "(Now), he talks a lot. He takes after me."

Meanwhile, Sugarbabe Cantrell, 26, helped her daughter and two sons, Keanu and Christian, open plastic bags full of toys.

"They ask me when I can come home," said Cantrell, who is serving time for second-degree theft and robbery.

Cantrell said her use of crystal methamphetamine and hanging around the wrong crowd led her away from her children.

"I wanna be a better example for them so they no come in here. I no like see my daughter in here," Cantrell said.

Tsuji said 35 percent of the women at the facility are there for drug-related offenses, while another 35 percent were convicted of property-related crimes. The remaining 30 percent are there for violent crimes, she said.

At 4 p.m., mothers walked their children down the stairs from the recreational area and hugged them before they were met by their caregivers on the other side of the fence.

While Maxine Cantrell carried Justice, Sugarbabe kissed her sister goodbye and said, "Tell Mom I say 'I love you,' ah?"