Maui man faces trial for third time in 2012 death of 4-year-old son

WAILUKU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Maui man faces trial once again for the 2012 alleged murder of his four-year-old son.

Read more New lawsuit targets eligibility requirements for Hawaiian homes leases

This is the third time 46-year-old Kyle McKeown has been charged in this case.

McKeown has been released on his own recognizance, which means the judge gave him permission to leave jail before trial without having to post bail. Instead, he promised he would return to court.

McKeown was arrested on May 8th for the alleged murder of his son Zion 14 years ago.

Court documents say the boy died from injuries that most likely stemmed from someone stomping on him while he was lying on the ground.

When McKeown was first arrested in 2012, Maui police spoke of the allegations.

“This is very tragic,” said then Lt. Wayne Ibarra of the Maui Police Department. “A four-year-old child — his life has been taken away, and everyone here at the police department want to do our best to make sure justice is served.”

A month later, the case was dismissed.

In a 2012 interview with Hawaii News Now, Zion’s maternal grandmother Maryann Rooney said she was furious.

Read more No tsunami expected after magnitude 4.6 quake off Hawaii Island

“I am so, so very angry. I am seeing red. I cannot believe they let him go. I truly believe he murdered my grandson and there’s a special place in hell for this person I know it,” said Rooney.

Prosecutors re-indicted McKeown in 2018 for Zion’s murder, but a year later, the case was dropped again.

Seven years later, they are trying once more with Honolulu prosecutors now handling the case because a Maui prosecutor once represented McKeown as a defense attorney.

Honolulu prosecutors said they don’t want to comment because they don’t want to potentially taint a future jury pool.

On Tuesday, Honolulu prosecutors filed a notice for an extended prison term. That means if McKeown is convicted, he could face a longer sentence than the maximum life in prison with parole because his son was less than eight years old.

Read more Former council member challenges chair in East Honolulu rematch

McKeown’s defense attorney did not return Hawaii News Now’s calls for comment.

McKeown is due back in court later this month.