Jaylin Kema, mother of ‘Peter Boy,’ dies of renal failure

The mother convicted of manslaughter in the death of her son, 6-year-old Peter “Peter Boy” Kema Jr., has died.

Jaylin Kema, 48, died Wednesday of renal failure at Hilo Medical Center, according to a source.

A family member declined to comment and requested privacy.

Kema had diabetes. According to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, she previously had part of her leg amputated due to complications of the disease.

She and her husband, Peter Kema Sr. were convicted in a high-profile child abuse case involving their son, Peter Boy, who is presumed to have died in 1997.

Authorities believed he likely died of septic shock after his parents failed to obtain medical treatment for him for a critical arm injury.

When Peter Boy disappeared in 1997, his father told authorities he left his son with a family friend in Honolulu.

Documents released by the state Department of Human Services revealed Peter Boy had been abused since he was an infant. He suffered broken bones and was forced to eat dog feces.

In 2015, a Hilo grand jury indicted Kema Sr. and Jaylin Kema with murder in their son’s death.

Judge Greg Nakamura sentenced Kema Sr. to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter under a plea deal after he agreed to lead authorities to the child’s body.

He led police to a site in Puna where he told law enforcement he unsuccessfully tried to burn his son’s body. He told police he placed the child’s body in a box and dumped him into the ocean.

Peter Boy’s body has never been found.

Jaylin Kema pleaded guilty to manslaughter for failing to get medical treatment for her son.

She was sentenced to a year in jail with credit for time served under a plea agreement in exchange for her testimony against her husband. She was also sentenced to 10 years’ probation.

Jaylin Kema returned to court after she had violated terms of her probation.

She was scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 29 for a probation revocation hearing.