DA Adds Rape Charge Against In Amesbury Teen's Death

LAWRENCE, MA — The Essex County District Attorney's office added aggravated rape of a child to the list of charges against a Lawrence man being held in last month's death of an Amesbury teenager. Carlos Rivera, 47, of Lawrence, was arraigned on the new charge when he appeared in court Tuesday morning for a dangerousness hearing. Rivera was arrested May 25, five days after prosecutors say he dropped off 13-year-old Chloe Ricard at Lawrence Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Prosecutors say Ricard and a 16-year-old girl were at Rivera's apartment in Lawrence during the evening of Sunday, May 19 and for much of the next day, Monday, May 2o. Ricard was dropped off at the emergency room at 4:47 p.m. on May 20, less than an hour after her mother reported her missing.

Rivera was arrested May 25 after being interviewed by investigators and charged with two counts of distribution of Class B drugs to a minor, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.

Rivera continues to be held without bail. The new charge, however, does not allow to file a dangerousness motion, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement. Bodgett called on state lawmakers to change the law.

"I am reluctant to use the horrifying facts of this case to illustrate the necessity for immediate action to address the glaring loophole in the dangerousness statute, but I'm concerned about the public's safety," Blodgett said. "The law does not allow us to petition to court the hold a man accused of raping a 13-year-old innocent girl but does allow us to file because he allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately. That is simply astonishing and must be addressed by the Legislature immediately."

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has completed its autopsy of Ricard but has not issued a cause of death. Preliminary results of evidence obtained at autopsy linked the Rivera's DNA to Ricard, who has been publicly identified in media reports by her parents.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).