Legal Guardians Charged in Death of Girl, 10, Who They Allegedly Starved, Beat and Bound with Duct Tape

Emaciated and beaten, Geanna Bradley allegedly died at the hands of her caretakers, who were reportedly receiving $1,961 a month from the state to care for her

Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions.

An emaciated 10-year-old girl who was allegedly filmed in an enclosed space with duct tape covering her eyes and holding her arms to her sides died in January. Now her caregivers have been charged with her murder, authorities announced.

On Friday, the Honolulu Police Department announced the Feb. 8 arrests of Brandy and Thomas Blas and Debra Geron in connection with the murder of Geanna Bradley, Honolulu police Lt. Deena Thoemmes said at a press conference.

Brandy and Thomas Blas were Geanna's legal guardians, but not her biological parents, according to the Honolulu Police. They had cared for her since she was 2, authorities said, Hawaii News Now reports. Geron was identified as the child’s non-biological grandmother.

All three are charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office determined her cause of death to be the result of multiple effects of prolonged child abuse and neglect, starvation, pneumonia and blunt force injuries due to assault, Thoemmes said.

Her ribs were protruding from under her skin and part of her nose was missing when police found her, Thoemmes said.

The Blases were receiving $1,961 monthly from the state to care for Geanna, according to an affidavit obtained by Honolulu Civil Beat.

During their investigation, police also found a 4-year-old adopted boy in the care of the Blases and Geron who allegedly showed signs of abuse including “failure to thrive,” she said.

The boy and the couple’s four biological children, ages 14, 10, 5 and 3, were placed in the custody of Child Welfare Services, Thoemmes said.

Asked what he thought of Geanna's alleged murder and abuse, Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said, “It’s horrifying that this would happen to a 10-year-old or any child.”

He asked the public to call Crime Stoppers or 911 if they suspect a child is being abused or neglected. Geanna's alleged abuse and murder came to light on the morning of Jan. 18, when Honolulu Police were called to a home on Karsten Drive in Wahiawa.

There, authorities discovered a child they were told was found “cold and stiff.” The fire department said that “a defibrillator was needed for a 10-year-old,” she said.

The officers met with Brandy and Geron, who said they last saw Geanna at 7:30 p.m. the night before, Thoemmes said. Geron said she found her unresponsive with no heartbeat when she went to wake her for breakfast, Thoemmes said.

Homicide detectives were called because the child had facial injuries, including “scratchlike marks around her ears, eyes, forehead, cheeks and lips,” she said. Her eyelids seemed slightly bruised and “part of her nose bridge was missing.” She also had “road-rash injuries to her chin,” she said. The suspects allegedly told the officers that Bradley had injured her nose when she fell off a bike two weeks before.

They claimed she had ADHD and other issues but that she was “treated well,” Thoemmes said.
Detectives allegedly noticed that the Blases’ 4-year-old adopted son was also very thin and had injuries on both arms, she said.

A board-certified child abuse pediatrician noted that the wound to Bradley’s nasal bridge was “very deep,” that that injuries to her mouth and face were indicative of “trauma with enough force to break teeth,” she said.

‘Disturbing Images’ Allegedly Found on Cell Phones

Investigators collected data from the adults’ cell phones that allegedly revealed more of what went on in the household, Thoemmes said.

Authorities found “disturbing images of what appeared to be Geanna enclosed in a small area and bound with duct tape,” she said.

Her arms were taped to her torso and she had duct tape around her eyes and forehead and the top of her head, she said. She allegedly had visible injuries to her face and shoulders.

They also found “video of violent interactions between Geanna and the Blases” on multiple occasions, including as recently as Jan. 16 — two days before she was pronounced dead, Thoemmes said.

In the videos, Thoemmes said, “Geanna is bound with duct tape, her eyes are covered and wrapped with duct tape and covered with electrical tape,” she said. These clips were filmed in the same small enclosed area, believed to be on a porch, the Honolulu Civil Beat reports.

The Blases and Geron were never reported to Child Welfare Services for abuse, Hawaii News Now reports.

Bradley was taken out of school in Oct. 2022 to be home-schooled, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday, Hawaii News Now reports.

The child’s father, Gerime Bradley said he hadn't seen her since 2016 and hopes she is remembered as a sweet child who was "full of love," KITV reports.

"I know she's not in any pain anymore, she's with God," he said, KITV reports. "And I know he's gonna wipe all that pain away that she suffered."

It is unclear whether the Blases and Geron have entered pleas or retained attorneys who can speak on their behalf.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.