KAILUA-KONA — Julie Kaaloa felt the no contest plea given by a Captain Cook man accused of hitting and killing her 10-year-old daughter in a November 2016 crash was not appropriate.
“I think ‘not guilty’ would’ve been more appropriate,” Julie Kaaloa said Friday. “I asked the judge to not give him anything.”
William Herndon, 63, was indicted last November on a charge of misdemeanor negligent homicide. The charge stemmed from an incident that occurred on Nov. 2, 2016. Traveling north, Janexty Kamakamaeuluwehi Kaaloa, known to family and friends as Ulu, attempted to cross Highway 11 toward her family’s restaurant, Kaaloa’s Super J’s, when she was hit by Herndon, who was driving south in a tan, 1987 Jeep pickup truck.
In 3rd Circuit Court Wednesday, Herndon entered a no contest plea to the charge of second-degree negligent injury and was sentenced to one year probation with a $2,000 fine.
Kaaloa wrote a letter to the court, which was read aloud by her mother the day of sentencing.
“I don’t want Mr. Herndon to have any consequences. None! None at all!” she wrote. “I want all charges dropped.”
Kaaloa wrote that she didn’t believe Herndon committed a crime, but kept a promise.
“I believe in my heart this is a spiritual occurrence,” the letter read.
Kaaloa, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wrote about a conversation she believes her daughter had with God and Herndon before she was born.
“In the pre-Earth life, Heavenly Father told Janexty it was her turn to go to Earth and she didn’t want to go,” Kaaloa wrote.
The letter goes on to state that Heavenly Father promised Ulu she would only have to go for a while.
“She asked Him how she would return back to Heaven,” Kaaloa wrote. “Bill stepped forward and said: ‘I will help Janexty. I will help you return back to Heaven.’”
Ulu’s mother continued, writing Ulu agreed because Herndon had “such a fast vibration that his light was brighter than the rest.”
“She knew Bill was strong enough to slow down his vibration so much that his light would dim and be able to help her return to Heaven,” she wrote. “She knew he could pull himself through such a tragedy.”
Kaaloa wrote that she agreed to be Ulu’s mother in the pre-Earth life so she could remind Herndon that he kept his promise to her daughter and that the 10-year-old loved him.
“From the beginning, that’s how I felt,” the letter read.
The letter goes on to recall the day of the crash and Ulu’s death as well as the support the family received beginning moments after the accident.
“The community came together and supported me and my family and the children that were there that witnessed this accident,” the letter read.
Kaaloa also wrote about her desire to meet Herndon, which they did a few weeks after the incident at Paleaku Peace Garden.
“We embraced in the parking lot for a few long minutes, both crying,” Kaaloa wrote. “Him apologizing and me thanking him for keeping his promise to my little girl.”
On Friday, Kaaloa said her family misses Ulu — “but what can we do?”
“We got to be the best people we can be till it’s our turn to go,” she said.
What!?! The mother congratulates the reckless driver for having killed her daughter? That he took her out of an unwanted life? That innocent child wanted to live and her mother was not around to raise her. What kind of monstrous religion causes her to think that way…
How does this differ from the ISIS fighter that wants to chop off your head because you don’t believe?
ALL religion makes normal people insane.
Strange as it may seem, I don’t see any hatred associated with the mother of the 10 year old child who got banged and died. I don’t see how you can compare her or her religion like ISIS. I don’t read anything that says she wants you to believe her, she’s just telling the judge what she thinks in that letter. I don’t think ISIS is very forgiving like this mother is.. lol..
I am not discussing the fact that religion makes some love and some hate – its part of its insanity.
What I am discussing is the insanity religion brings to the human mind.
Granted, she may not hate the man who killed her daughter per se, but her religious brainwashed insanity makes her say all the other insane stuff she said.
“I believe in my heart this is a spiritual occurrence”
“Kaaloa, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
wrote about a conversation she believes her daughter had with God and
Herndon before she was born”
“In the pre-Earth life, Heavenly Father told Janexty it was her turn to go to Earth and she didn’t want to go,” Kaaloa wrote.”
“She knew Bill was strong enough to slow down his vibration so much
that his light would dim and be able to help her return to Heaven,” she
wrote. “She knew he could pull himself through such a tragedy.”
“Kaaloa wrote that she agreed to be Ulu’s mother in the pre-Earth
life so she could remind Herndon that he kept his promise to her daughter and that the 10-year-old loved him.”
Sorry – but those are the words of an insane person.
Can I reverse those words – and use it as justification to kill someone?
My “pre-Earth life god” told me to?
Heavenly Father is the only one who can decide anyone’s fate, this we all know, we’re pre-destined, however we get to choose, easy way or hard way, sometimes we find favor in prayer. But you don’t have to believe, it’s just what most believers believe. That said, if you believe in God and heaven you must realize there’s also hell and a devil, evil temptation is always around. We all have free will..
Some people are more in tuned than others. You might call it insanity, but we live in different dimensions, there are spirits all around us. I don’t think Ms. Kaaloa is insane she knows and understands something you don’t. Who do you think we’re praying to, besides God and Jesus we also talk to our loved ones, they’re around us too. I don’t think we’re all insane.
Why deny someone that is in great pain the ability to cope with it? This is the type of event that causes families to fall apart, divorce, drugs, suicide. The ability for her and her family to avoid this type of destruction by not letting it consume them is what I take away from this story.
Why let a little girl walk back and to school alone everyday along that deadly stretch of highway? There are school buses. And they are subsidized for the poor. Praying to get her safely home didn’t cut it, obviously. And just for the record: There are plenty more keikis walking along the speeding drivers around Konawaena and Honaunau schools. Don’t pray before or after they are getting killed: Slow the f… down!
Deadly stretch of highway? From Honaunau school to J’s Kaaloa’s? Catch the bus when the family eatery is just a short walk up the road across the street? Don’t even try to blame the parent. The speed limit is 25 mph in a school zone, cars are supposed to SLOW DOWN.
It just happens to be the last long straight stretch of road on the way down south to Kona Paradise and Oceanview. It has one of the highest accident rate in the state. Most intoxicated drivers on the island. And obviously the driver didn’t do 25 mph. But as the mother said, not her fault: All her gods doing.
Inshallah. Karma. Shît just happens.
Not oversight, not neglect, not human error, not disobeying speed limits… little kids still walking along and crossing the road by themselves yesterday.
The short stretch from Honaunau school to J’s Kaaloa’s is safe, with a go slow school zone sign. I know exactly where this is and it’s not usually a “deadly stretch” for this 4-5 minute walk from the school.
The deadly stretch you’re talking about is more south after you pass Ho’okena School. It’s about 29 miles from Honaunau School to Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. And yeah.. I do believe in, If God wills it. “Inshallah.”
An imaginary god’s will is better than putting up a flashing light like other schools have? Better than extending the 100ft 25 mile zone? Better than having an adult walking the 4-5 min walk with elementary students? Or at least a traffic guard?
And how old is old enough for a child to cross the road by themselves at a crosswalk? 10, 12, 14, and how old is too old? Geez… who are you the maturity police?
I totally agree with you. Death of one’s child is probably the hardest thing a parent has to go through no matter what the circumstance was. People who add criticism on a parent who never meant any harm in what they’ve said or feel is so hurtful and unnecessary. When it comes to believers or non-believers there are fanatics on both sides and nobody should “force” their beliefs or non-beliefs on anyone. Nobody likes things shoved down their throats.
Most organized religions steer people away from thinking, agreed. But fundamentalists forbid it outright and dumb their followers.
It’s was Gods plan. I have a tear in my eye and God bless all that is involved.
That is sure one heck of a sick twisted “god” don’t you think?
This clearly shows the pure lunacy of ANYTHING dealing with religion.
The lunacy is you and you need an eye opener. That I’m sure will happen.
That’s not what my “pre Earth life” correspondence said!
Thank goodness this mother has something to hold on to. No need to judge people. Be thankful that you aren’t feeling her pain.
Hilo Jack, You’ll find out when it’s your turn to be judged. It was an accident, learn to forgive as you would like to be forgiven for the bad you did. Don’t cast the first stone.
AreaPolice:
I agree it was an accident.
There was a person at fault who was charged and now convicted and sentenced.
I am not casting stones, although that too is another religious verse.
This mother can forgive all she wants. Her justifications of “pre Earth life” conversations taht more or less claim the man was keeping a “promise” to kill this little girl.
Believe in myths and fairy tales all you want.
This however, is just insanity.
wow….the babble of religion!!!!! organized religion…the dark con of man….sadly an innocent died in accident…and mommy is talking about god having conversation with little girl????
You all should stop in at Super J’s , have one of their great lunches and talk to Mrs Kaaloa , if you are concerned about her heartfelt comments here . She’s a very sweet person and I am sure would sit down with you and explain the basis of her beliefs . Grief has many manifestations . This is hers . Far better to go talk story than to sit and throw stones from afar . Let they among you whom is without fault cast the first stone . Auwe auwe .
FRom what I understood was he hit her then hit his brakes! If he would hVe been driving more slowly and aware of all the schools signs this probably wouldn’t have happened! Taking a child’s life deserves a MUCH GREATER PUNISHMENT then what he got! Not a very good example to all the careless idiots on the road! Shame Shame!