Family and friends of 'Aukai Lamaku O Ka Na'auao Kusunoki will hold a memorial at Baldwin Beach Park for the late infant Wednesday, which would have been his first birthday, to draw attention to the danger of positional asphyxiation.
On Jan. 18, 'Aukai was placed on his stomach for a morning nap by his day care provider, but the child suffocated because at only 4 months old he was unable to reposition himself to breathe, said the child's aunty, Leina'ala Kealoha.
An autopsy ruled out sudden infant death syndrome, and the cause of death was determined to be positional asphyxiation, she said.
"The friends and family want to strongly bring awareness to help save another family from suffering the same loss," an event announcement said.
At exactly 8:39 a.m. Wednesday at Baldwin Beach Park, family and friends will remember 'Aukai on his first birthday.
'Aukai's parents are Joanna Chong-Kee, 36, and Jonathan Kusunoki, 35, of Wailuku.
