HILO >>

The family of Peter “Peter Boy” Kema Jr. had hoped for an apology from his father, sentenced Monday to 20 years’ imprisonment for the 6-year-old Hawaii island boy’s death 20 years ago.

Peter Kema Sr. failed to offer one.

“I thought he would at least turn to us and look at us and apologize,” said James Acol, 75, Peter Boy’s maternal grandfather. “Say something. If you’re human, say something. … He didn’t say anything — no remorse, nothing.”

Hilo Circuit Judge Glen Nakamura gave Kema, 46, the 20-year sentence with a mandatory minimum of six years and eight months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Kema was indicted by a grand jury for second-degree murder in 2016, and under the terms of a plea deal, he agreed to confess and lead police to his son’s body. He also pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution of his wife, Jaylin, who was sentenced to five years.

Peter Kema’s sentences will run concurrently for 20 years total, and if he serves all of it, he could be free at age 66. If he serves just the minimum, he could be out at age 53.

Kema, in brown prison attire, showed no emotion, made no statement and failed to address the family, including his daughter, Lina Acol, 24, and stepson Allan Acol, 30, who attended the brief 8 a.m. sentencing in Hilo Circuit Court. Lina Acol’s 2-year-old son, Luke James, who also attended, bears a striking resemblance to Peter Boy. Stepdaughter Chaun­telle Acol, who lives in Florida, did not attend.

Peter Boy’s mother, Jaylin Kema, walked (using a prosthetic leg) into the courtroom with her Chihuahua-terrier. Also indicted in 2016 for murder, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in December in exchange for her testimony against her husband at trial, had there been one.

It’s been a “long battle, but at least we got some peace of mind,” said James Acol, who had promised his late wife, Yolanda, he would find Peter Boy. “A long journey. Try and strive and do what we can do now. I guess my wife is with him and they’re happy.”

He expressed gratitude for police and the prosecutor and his staff for helping the family get some closure.

Lina Acol said she feels more at peace now.

Allan Acol, who lives with his grandfather, said Peter Kema Sr. was his stepdad, “but a stepdad wouldn’t do what he did.” Despite his sentencing, “it’s an ongoing thing. We always try to move ahead.”

Monday’s sentencing was the culmination of one of Hawaii’s most high-profile murders, a case that began with the mystery of the young child’s disappearance in 1997 and that led to reforms in state child protective services policies that allowed the child — who had been severely battered and neglected — to be returned to his abusive home.

The abuse began during the boy’s infancy with broken bones and bruises. He was forced to eat dog feces, was chained and had to sleep outside. Peter Boy likely died of septic shock from a large wound on his arm.

After he disappeared, the Kemas concocted stories about his whereabouts — his father telling authorities in August 1997 that he left the child with a longtime family friend, “Auntie Rose Makuakane,” at Aala Park in downtown Honolulu.

Rick Damerville, the deputy prosecutor who handled the case and negotiated the plea agreements, said after he got the case in March 2016, he received a tip that finally led to the woman to whom Peter Kema Sr. had been referring. The television show “America’s Most Wanted” received tips about a woman nicknamed Rose who had a boy with her in Wyoming. The boy turned out to be the woman’s nephew, and she had lived on Hawaii island and did baby-sit Peter Boy for the family.

“I got lucky,” he said. “I found Auntie Rose,” who testified before a grand jury in the case, Damerville said.

But Peter Boy’s fate remained a mystery until April, when Peter Kema Sr. led authorities to the Puna site where he unsuccessfully tried to burn the boy’s body before putting him in a box and disposing of the box in the ocean. An extensive search failed to yield any remains, but Kema took and passed a lie-detector test about what he did with his son’s remains.

“Another chapter in this story has come to an end,” Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth said outside the courtroom. “There’s no joy or happiness even though we’re here.”

“Mr. Kema didn’t address the family, didn’t apologize,” he said. “After this whole ordeal, not only has he put this family through so much pain and suffering with what he did to Pepe (another nickname for Peter Boy), but burning the body and throwing the leftover pieces into the ocean, and keeping the family in the dark for 20 years.”

Deputy Prosecutor Haaheo Kahoohalahala told the court Monday that Peter Boy’s death was “the culmination of physical abuse, child neglect and emotional abuse, including the lack of medical care for his injuries and lack of proper treatment, which ultimately led to septic shock.”

His death is inexcusable, and “even more inexcusable was that it took over 20 years to admit what he did,” she said. “The state believes that justice for Pepe will be served by this sentence and hopes that the family can now seek some closure.”

Former Human Services Director Lillian Koller, who publicly released more than 2,000 pages of Child Welfare Services documents on the case, after she was appointed to the position in 2003, said the evidence to indict the Kemas years ago was all in the records.

“Today’s sentencing of Peter J. Kema Sr. is what you’d expect when justice is delayed for two decades,” she said. “This monster, who tortured and in 1997 killed his young son — ‘Peter Boy’ Kema Jr. — should have been imprisoned for life for murder. Incredibly, and sadly, Peter Sr. will be eligible for parole after serving less time in prison than Peter Boy was even alive.”

She was also critical of the plea deal Jaylin Kema received for her participation, serving a year in prison for manslaughter.

Kema was charged with murder and agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter, and Roth said his office will pursue legislation to change the 10-year statute of limitations for manslaughter, a Class A felony.

Roth said he will also pursue a policy to prevent parents of children who have been under Child Welfare Services’ supervision from pulling them out of school without going to court, which occurred with the Kemas.

“We hope that Pepe’s death is not taken in vain, that we can make some positive changes that this never happens again,” Roth said.

The family plans to hold a memorial service for Peter Boy in a few weeks in Kona.

James Acol said the family is now going through a healing process, and has received hugs and encouragement from the community in church and wherever they go.

“It’s going to take time,” he said. As for Jaylin Kema, “she’s still my daughter. I always thought that no matter what, you’re the dad. You got to take care. One day we will break bread and I’ll talk to her.”

Jaylin Kema said she would want that “very much.”