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Caldwell man gets life sentence for molesting young girl, beating adopted kids

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By Kristin Rodine

Kekoa Glenn Gaunavinaka, 35, will be able to ask for parole after serving 25 years of the maximum life term for lewd conduct with a child younger than 16.

“It’s going to take all of these children a lifetime to overcome what you’ve done,” 3rd District Judge Bradly Ford told Gaunavinaka at his sentencing hearing Wednesday.

Ford also sentenced Gaunavinaka to the maximum 10 years for each of two counts of felony injury to a child for habitually and brutally beating his adopted children. All of the sentences will run simultaneously.

“He got his just deserts,” the children’s maternal grandfather said as he hurried out of the courthouse after the hearing.

The children, siblings who had been abused by their parents before Gaunavinaka and his wife adopted them, are now out of state and in the process of being adopted by relatives, Deputy Prosecutor Erica Kallin said.

2010 Mar 10