Indianapolis father and girlfriend sentenced to 30 years for boy’s death

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis father and his girlfriend were each sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday for their roles in the starvation and abuse death of a 7-year-old boy.

Kevin Gavarrete, 27, and Julia Sizemore, 22, both pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent, a top-level felony, in connection with the 2024 death of Gavarrete’s son, Kayden. Additional charges against them were dismissed as part of the plea deal, online records from Marion Superior Court 7 show.

A redacted police report shared publicly says Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was called at 3:40 p.m. Dec. 22, 2024, to the home of Gavarrete and Sizemore in the 1300 block of South Pershing Avenue. That’s in a residential and industrial area a few blocks southwest of the West Morris Street bridge over Eagle Creek on the city’s west side. The home is a short walk north of Ross Claypool Park.

IMPD child abuse detectives and the Indiana Department of Child Services were called to the home after the 7-year-old was found dead.

An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death was multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. Medical examiners identified malnutrition and dehydration as other contributing factors in the boy’s death. At the time he died, Kayden weighed 32 pounds.

A news release issued Monday from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said Gavarrete said could not provide investigators with...