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Posted: Monday, February 11th, 2013 9:08 AM HST

Father sentenced in Hilo in son's 2003 death

By Associated Press

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — A man who admitted to shaking his 2-month-old son, resulting in the infant's death a decade ago, has been sentenced in Hilo to a year in jail. A judge also sentenced Gilbert G. Dancel Jr. on Friday to five years' probation for the death of Kaikela Medieros-Dancel, who lived in Kahuku, in March 2003. Dancel said at his sentencing he felt "horrible" for what he did. The child's mother said at the sentencing hearing that Dancel deserved time behind bars. Dancel pleaded guilty last month to second-degree assault. The charge was a reduced offense from a grand jury indictment charging him with manslaughter. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kauanoe Jackson tells West Hawaii Today prosecutors agreed to the plea deal because of a "high probability" the case could be dismissed.