Maui Woman, 81, Receives Probation for Stabbing

The Maui News reported on April 4, 2019, that an 81-year-old woman received four years’ probation on April 3 for stabbing a 55-year-old woman in a Kahului parking lot last year.

Natividad Domingo was credited for the more than eight months she spent in jail after being arrested in July 2018.

“You just can’t pull out a knife and stab someone if you’re mad at them,” 2nd Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo told Domingo, according to The Maui News. “What you did was an overreaction.”

Domingo reportedly asked the other woman to loan her some money. When the woman refused, Domingo “poked” the victim in the lower right abdomen with a knife, according to court documents.

The weapon, which was found nearby, was described as a kitchen knife with a 5-inch blade and a 4-inch handle.

According to Deputy Prosecutor Carson Tani, the victim, Lauralee Basbas, required surgery.

Tani said Basbas moved from Maui to Washington to live with her daughter due to her injury, pain management issues and post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the assault. She is now unable to work and is dependent on her daughter and son-in-law, Tani said.

Tani argued for a 10-year prison term for Domingo at Basbas’ request.

Domingo, who was homeless at the time of the stabbing, later said she believed that her money had been stolen by Basbas, according to her attorney.

“There’s no indication that there was self-defense,” Tani said. “This was more of an anger issue.

Domingo’s criminal history includes a similar offense, when Domingo threatened another woman with a knife in 1997.

Domingo had pleaded no contest to first-degree assault.

Motioning to her shoulder area, Domingo told Judge Loo, “I only stab her once here… with a small knife.”

“It doesn’t matter if it was a small knife or a big knife, you still stabbed her,” Judge Loo said.

“This was very serious, and she could have died,” Loo told Domingo. “Your poking days are behind you.”

Domingo was ordered to complete anger management treatment.