'Peter Boy' Kema: Parents charged with son's murder 19 years after he went missing

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The parents of a murdered six-year-old boy have been charged with his death, 19 years after he was declared missing.

Peter Kema Sr and Jaylin Kema have been arrested by Hawaii police and charged by a grand jury with second-degree murder.

Their son, "Peter Boy" Kema, disappeared from his Hawaii home in 1997 and while his body was never found, police had concluded he was murdered.

Peter Boy was not reported missing until January 1998, months after he was last seen alive.

His parents have denied wrongdoing.

In 2015, his younger sister Lina Acol called on her mother to "say something", Hawaii News Now reports.

She said: "Just come out already. It's time to come out.

"We all want to know what happened."

The parents of Peter Boy had long been suspects but prosecutors say they had not had enough evidence until now.

Hawaii County deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville said the charges had been "a long time coming".

He added: "Peter Boy, this Sunday, would have been 25 years old.

"We'd like to thank the members of the community ... civilians that came forward over the years and helped move this case forward.

"Even the community didn't forget."