He had three brothers, Moses Kekūāiwa (1829–1848), Lot Kapuāiwa (1830–1872), Alexander Liholiho (1834–1863), and a sister Victoria Kamāmalu (1838–1866).

[2]: 280 [5] Queen Kaʻahumanu was the most powerful figure in Hawaii at the time, serving as kuhina nui (premier) and regent for Kamehameha III; she often found trouble in dealing with the young king's guardian, Boki, the royal governor of Oahu, who publicly accused her of scheming to place David Kamehameha on the throne, an accusation she denied.

Luckily, Boki was convinced by David's father, Kekūanaōʻa, to give up his idea of declaring war on the dowager Queen.

[2]: 290–291 When he was four in 1832, Kaʻahumanu died of intestinal illness at her house in the Mānoa Valley, and afterwards, David was either raised by Kekāuluohi, although Kīnaʻu still had a hand in his upbringing.

He died of unknown causes on December 15, 1835, in Honolulu, in his mother's stone house near the present Iolani Palace.