INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis father and his girlfriend have been arrested after a 7-year-old boy was found dead on the city’s southwest side on Sunday.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the 1300 block of South Pershing Avenue just after 3:30 p.m. for a death investigation.
Upon arrival, police located an unresponsive 7-year-old child inside the home. The child, family identified as Kayden Gavarrete, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Court documents say Kayden had multiple bruises, scabs and small burn marks on his body and face. He was also “extremely” malnourished and underweight.
During the investigation, Kayden’s father told police he had given himself the injuries and would not eat. When asked about the burn marks, his father said Kayden would lie close to a heating vent.
According to court documents, Kayden told his father’s girlfriend he had been drinking chemicals, but his father said he was lying.
Kayden’s aunt also told police she had been told Kayden was drinking chemicals in the home, unable to walk and was hitting himself, court documents say.
Investigators spoke with multiple people who told them Kayden was always hungry and would frequently ask them for food, according to court documents.
Court documents also say Kayden told his father’s girlfriend he was “going to see his mom,” and she thought that was weird because his biological mother died three years ago.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office Medical Pathologist says it's possible the heating vent could cause some of Kayden’s injuries but not all of them.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact IMPD Detective Cody Gaddis at 317-327-6875 or e-mail him at Cody.Gaddis@indy.gov. To submit an anonymous tip, call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-8477.
WRTV does not name suspects until they are formally charged.
