Third suit filed in fatal veterans home COVID-19 outbreak

A third wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in connection with a COVID-19 outbreak at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo that has killed 27 residents.

Kona attorney Jeffrey Foster filed the civil suit Wednesday in Hilo Circuit Court on behalf of Tracy Bennedsen, Margaret Robinson and Roberta Plancich, sisters of 73-year-old Stephan Plancich of Ka‘u, who died Sept. 17 of a COVID-19 infection received at the facility.

Defendants in the case include Avalon Health Care Group and several of its subsidiaries; Tina Irwin, Avalon’s regional vice president for Hawaii; and governmental “Doe” entities.

Toddler’s death last year in Waimea under investigation by prosecutor’s office

KAILUA-KONA — The parents of a 3-year-old toddler who died last year while in foster care are hopeful a 44-year-old Honokaa woman arrested for murder in connection with the boy’s death will be brought to justice.

“Today, our suspicions and worst fears were confirmed when we were told that our 3-year-old son, Fabian Garett-Garcia, was murdered,” says Fabian’s parents, Sherri-Ann Garett and Juben Garcia, in a statement via their attorney, Jeffrey Foster. “There are no words that can describe the way we feel today.