HILO, HI – A grandmother from Hawaii was sentenced to probation on Thursday for her role in the 2016 death of her 9-year-old granddaughter, Shaelynn Lehano-Stone, who tragically died from malnutrition while under her care. Henrietta Stone, 67, received a sentence of 10 years of probation from Hilo Circuit Court Judge Henry Nakamoto, despite the prosecution’s push for a 20-year prison term.
The decision was met with strong disapproval from the Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, with Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen expressing deep frustration over the outcome. “Shaelynn and our community deserved better,” Waltjen remarked, emphasizing the betrayal of trust by those closest to Shaelynn.
Stone had previously entered a plea of no contest to manslaughter charges related to her granddaughter’s death. Initially charged with second-degree murder, she accepted a plea deal in February 2024 that significantly reduced the potential severity of her sentence.
Shaelynn’s parents, Kevin Lehano and Tiffany K. Stone faced similar charges and also received probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter. At the time of Shaelynn’s death, Stone was the child’s legal guardian, highlighting the profound breakdown in her duty of care.
The courtroom heard statements from Shaelynn’s teachers and emergency responders advocating for a harsher penalty, with many highlighting the severity of neglect. The pre-sentence investigation report also supported a more stringent sentence, recommending the 20-year maximum prison term for Stone.
Under state law, the charge of manslaughter can result in a sentence of 20 years in prison or probation coupled with a possible two-year jail term. Prosecutors strongly lobbied for the former, but the court ultimately opted for a probationary sentence.
Henrietta Stone’s arrest dates back to 2016 when emergency services responded to her Hilo residence to find Shaelynn unconscious and severely malnourished. The young girl was promptly transported to Hilo Medical Center, where she succumbed to her condition hours later.
Authorities revealed that Stone had begun homeschooling Shaelynn a few months before her death after withdrawing her from Hilo Union Elementary. The investigation uncovered restrictive measures such as alarms on the refrigerator to prevent Shaelynn from accessing food, leaving her dangerously malnourished.
The Hawaii Police Department confirmed Shaelynn’s cause of death as malnutrition, further complicated by pneumonia and a severe kidney infection. At the time of her passing, she weighed just 45 pounds, the same as when she was 4 years old.