STAR-BULLETIN / 2004 Lehua Mamala-Tumbaga, right, and daughter Tanya Guidry appeared at the November parole hearing of Christopher Aki, Guidry's ex-boyfriend, convicted of killing her half-sister, Kahealani Indreginal. Both women pleaded guilty yesterday to welfare fraud.

Family of slain girl
steals public benefits

Indreginal's relatives
admit taking $53,000

The mother and half-sister of murder victim Kahealani Indreginal have admitted to stealing more than $53,000 in public assistance benefits, beginning as early as January 2002, the year the girl was killed.

Lehua Mamala-Tumbaga, 40, and daughter Tanya Guidry, 21, waived indictment and entered guilty pleas yesterday before Circuit Judge Richard Perkins.

According to the complaints filed June 30, Mamala-Tumbaga was charged with first-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining $43,583 in benefits from January 2002 to July 2004.

Guidry was charged with two counts of second-degree theft for taking $9,637 in public assistance benefits between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2002.

Under a plea agreement, Guidry has agreed to be disqualified from public assistance -- financial, food stamp and medical benefits -- for one year, to obtain full-time work or educational and vocational training, to pay full restitution and perform 200 hours of community service.

Under state law, applicants for public assistance must fully and accurately disclose whom they are living with, their income, employment, assets and expenses to become eligible and remain eligible. Violators are subject to disqualification from receiving benefits, or criminal sanctions.

Their public defender declined to discuss their cases, noting the family has been traumatized and deeply affected by the intense media scrutiny since Indreginal's death. The slaying shocked the community, sparking an intense search and public pleas for help that ended Dec. 13, 2002, when the 11-year-old girl's body was found at an Aiea state park.

Tumbaga said later she and her daughter pleaded guilty because they want to put this matter behind them, pay back the money and go on with their lives. She and her children continue to struggle over the loss of her daughter and asked that people leave her and her children alone.

Guidry's former longtime boyfriend, Christopher Aki, confessed to killing the Aiea sixth-grader, but at trial he recanted and blamed the girl's uncle. He was convicted of reckless manslaughter and was ordered to serve at least 19 of the 20-year maximum in prison before requesting to be paroled.

First-degree theft is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Second-degree theft carries penalties of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Both women are eligible for a deferral of their guilty pleas, meaning if they comply with court-imposed conditions, they can ask that the cases be stricken from their records.

Deputy Attorney General Joann Ha'o said the state expects to oppose any such requests.

Perkins will rule on the request or sentence them both on Sept. 28. They will remain free pending sentencing.