Woman indicted after trying to remove child from school

Kehaulani Rubio, 42, left, of Kailua-Kona, appeared in District Court for an initial appearance on Aug. 27, 2018, on a charge of first-degree custodial interference. Rubio is accused of attempting to take a child out of a Kealakehe Elementary School classroom. (TIFFANY DEMASTERS/West Hawaii Today)
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KAILUA-KONA — A Kailua-Kona woman has been indicted on a charge connected to an attempted child abduction last August at an elementary school.

Kehaulani Rubio was indicted on Dec. 20 for first-degree attempted custodial interference. The charge stems from an incident that occurred on Aug. 27. According to Hawaii Police, Rubio tried to physically remove a child from a Kealakehe Elementary School classroom.

According to the indictment, Rubio took a 6-year-old girl “by the hand towards the exit door of the classroom.”

At the time, police reported that a staff member intervened and prevented the woman from taking the child.

A preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled for Dec. 26, however she was indicted a few days before the hearing could occur.

After the indictment was filed in 3rd Circuit Court, Rubio entered a not guilty plea on Jan. 2. A jury trial is scheduled for April 30. Rubio remains free on $10,000 bail.

First-degree custodial interference is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years incarceration.