An Indiana father and his girlfriend have each been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the abuse and starvation death of 7-year-old Kayden Gavarrete, just days before Christmas 2024.
Kevin Gavarrete and Julia Sizemore were sentenced Monday by Marshelle Dawkins Broadwell of Marion Superior Court. Both pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death and neglect of a dependent by placing the child in an endangering situation.
Investigation Revealed Severe Abuse and Malnutrition
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the family’s home on South Pershing Avenue on Dec. 22, 2024, for a possible death investigation. Kayden was found unresponsive in a bathroom and pronounced dead at the scene.
According to reports, the child was severely malnourished, weighing just 32 pounds, and had bruises, cuts and burn marks in various stages of healing. The Marion County Coroner’s Office determined his cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma injuries and complications from malnutrition.
Prosecutors said the father claimed the boy had been sick and refused food and that his injuries were self-inflicted during tantrums. He also stated he had been homeschooling Kayden and did not seek medical attention because he feared how hospital staff might react.
Prosecutor Calls Case “Among the Worst”
Ryan Mears described the case as one of the most disturbing in his two-decade career. He said the plea agreement ensures both defendants will spend decades in prison and provides closure for Kayden’s family.
During sentencing, both Gavarrete and Sizemore offered brief apologies in court. The judge ordered the sentences to be served in a state correctional facility.
