When police arrived at a home on the southwest side of Indianapolis on December 22, 2024, they found a heartbreaking scene. Kayden Gavarrete lay unresponsive on the floor with multiple markings on his face and body. His dad, Kevin Gavarrete, and his girlfriend, Julia Sizemore, had strange stories about what happened to the boy. They tried to tell investigators that Kayden became sick and injured himself intentionally. But the awful truth soon came out, and now the two adults will spend the next three decades in prison.
Fox 59 reported that police responded to a home on South Pershing Avenue near West Morris Street and South Belmont Avenue around 3:40 p.m. Gavarrete reportedly met officers at the door and said he needed help “fast.” When police found Kayden on the floor in a bedroom, they immediately noticed injuries. He had “small burn marks” on his face and body and appeared “extremely” malnourished. At 7 years old, Kayden weighed just 32 pounds when he died.
According to court documents obtained by Fox 59, Gavarrete told police he stayed up late playing video games the night before and went to wake up his son around 2:20 p.m. but Kayden did not respond. The dad told investigators he went to smoke a cigarette and, when he returned, Kayden still didn’t answer. Gavarrete said his son’s injuries were because he kept “throwing tantrums” or “falling to the ground too hard.”
The following day, police spoke with Sizemore, who was staying at an area hotel. She said she was not Kayden’s biological mother and that she only stayed with the family on weekends. Sizemore claimed the last time she saw the boy, he seemed fine, per Fox 59. She later changed her story and claimed she asked Gavarrete to take Kayden to a hospital because he “was not eating anything.” Gavarrete refused.
When police asked Sizemore why she didn’t take the child to the hospital, she said she “did not want to get into his (Gavarrete’s) personal business,” the outlet reported.
More than a year later, both Gavarrete and Sizemore pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death and two counts of neglect of a dependent in danger. A judge sentenced them each to 30 years in prison.
Kayden’s family will never forget him. From the sounds of his obituary, he was a very special child.
“Kayden’s kindness and compassion were beyond his tender years. In a world that often seems fraught with darkness, he stood as a beacon of hope, encouraging others to embrace empathy and care,” the obituary reads. “He exemplified how precious every moment is and how imperative it is to protect our children—our future. In the wake of his untimely departure, we are left heartbroken yet forever changed by his light.”
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
