Police in Hawaii have arrested a woman who sources say was the babysitter of 7-month old baby who died in military housing at Aliamanu Military Reservation, Hawaii.
According to the arrest log of the Honolulu Police Department, Dixie D. Villa, 40, was arrested Saturday, and the offense listed is manslaughter. Bail is listed at $1 million.
Two sources familiar with the case said Villa was the caregiver of baby Abigail Lobisch, who died in the caregiver’s home on Feb. 24.
According to a report in Hawaii News Now, Villa turned herself in to police in connection with the baby’s death.
Villa remained in custody Sunday.
Honolulu police officials couldn’t be immediately reached for comment. The Hawaii medical examiner has not released the cause of death..
On July 16, a police spokeswoman confirmed that the investigation into the death had been reclassified as manslaughter. It was previously classified as an unattended death.
Villa is a Navy wife, according to sources, but according to Hawaii court records, her husband filed for divorce in May. The action has not been finalized, the records show. Villa no longer lives at Aliamanu Military Reservation, according to the sources. Police records list her home address as being off base.
Sources said the home was not licensed or authorized to provide care on the military base.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
