The foster parents of 10-year-old Geanna Bradley and the foster mom’s mother pleaded not guilty Thursday to second-degree murder and other charges related to the child’s death at their Wahiawa house.
Thomas and Brandy Blas, and Debra Geron, Brandy Blas’ mother, were arraigned in Circuit Court, appearing by video teleconferencing, standing side by side, from the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Brandy Blas’ court-
appointed attorney, Harrison Kiehm, said after the hearing that Blas had to be transported Thursday morning to OCCC for the arraignment from the Women’s Community Correctional Center, where she has been in custody following a physical attack.
Blas, who is pregnant, had been in custody at OCCC for only a few hours following her initial court appearance Feb. 12 when she was attacked, and taken to the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women &Children, Kiehm said. He said he was unable to elaborate on the attack or her injuries.
The three are being held in Bradley’s death. The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office found she died of prolonged child abuse and neglect, starvation, blunt force injuries due to multiple assaults, prolonged physical restraint, immobilization, pneumonia and medical neglect.
Prosecutors say the girl was bound with duct tape, locked in a small room, starved and made to use
a bucket for a toilet.
First responders Jan. 18 found Bradley at the home, cold and stiff, after responding to a 911 call from the suspects’ home.
The three are also charged with two counts
of kidnapping and two counts of first-degree
unlawful imprisonment.
The Blases had custody of Bradley for eight years and were her legal guardians.
The couple are also charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, which includes their 4-year-old
adopted boy.
Kiehm said although the charges are serious, his client is a lifelong citizen of
Hawaii and the case is “situational,” and she poses no danger to the community.
Deputy Public Defender Michelle Muraoka said Thomas Blas is a heavy equipment operator and has no prior felony convictions, and reiterated that the charges “appear to be situational” and that he “does not pose a danger to the community at large.”
Deputy Prosecutor Erika Candelario objected because the allegations are “heinous in nature,” and that the pair face life sentences without the possibility of
parole, if convicted, on the basis of extended and
enhanced sentencing.
She said Geron and her daughter are charged with hindering prosecution and that all three are a serious risk of attempting to obstruct or attempting to modify witness testimony of adults or minors.
Judge Ronald Johnson ruled that the three be held without bail.
He said the court finds serious risk that they could flee, given the maximum penalty, and may be a danger to others in the community. He also expressed concern they might obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice.
“No condition will reasonably ensure appearance,” he said, adding they “acted in a premeditated manner in unison.”
He said their “actions brought about the death
of a child. Bail should be
denied.”
Johnson set the jury trial week for April 22 and assigned the case to Judge Paul Wong.
