Nurse Charged In Disabled Teen's Death In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A licensed nurse has been charged in connection with the death of a 19-year-old East Hanover resident he was supposed to care for, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said.

Emelio J. Rivera, 29, of Carlstadt, has been charged with one count of endangering another person and neglect of a disabled person, after neglecting to perform certain acts necessary for the teen’s care and creating a substantial risk of his death, officials said.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said that on Feb. 10, 2023, East Hanover Police were called to a residence on a report of an unconscious man. When police arrived, they found Matthew Rossi, who was wheelchair-bound, in acute distress.

EMS personnel and East Hanover Police officers attempted CPR and other life-saving interventions but were not able to successfully resuscitate Matthew.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office began investigating the circumstances of Matthew's death when they learned that he had been accompanied on the bus by a licensed nurse, Rivera.

In a lawsuit filed by Anabela and Kirk Rossi, after their son's death, the couple explained that they had hired the home care nursing services offered by a company called Bayada to accompany Matthew on the school bus to and from the CTC Academy—Oakland School.

The CTC Academy is a non-profit organization that provides educational and therapeutic services for students with a diverse array of developmental disabilities.

On Feb. 10, Rivera was the nurse assigned to Matthew by Bayada to provide the nursing services he required throughout the day.

On the bus ride home from school, Matthew developed coughing and respiratory distress.

According to the lawsuit, Matthew would often require suctioning of mucous and secretions in his mouth and airway at various points throughout the day.

"Matthew became unresponsive after his coughing and respiratory distress went unnoticed and unattended to by Nurse Rivera was asked by the bus aide and driver if the bus should be pulled over to address Matthew's condition, but Nurse Rivera declined," the lawsuit states.

Matthew's parents claimed that neither Rivera nor the bus aide or driver dialed 911 or performed CPR or other resuscitation measures, and Rivera failed to suction and clear Matthew's airway, which was clogged with secretions and mucous.

Rather, Rivera instructed the bus driver to simply proceed to Matthew's home, which the bus driver and bus aide complied with.

"Nothing is going to bring him back. The loss is still the same," Anabela Rossi previously told NJ Advance Media. "But Matthew was betrayed. Matthew was betrayed."

According to the prosecutor's office, Rivera has since been taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.

“The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office extends its condolences to the Rossi family for their loss. This complex investigation involved a comprehensive analysis of medical reports and other available data and information. I would also like to acknowledge the East Hanover Police officers and medics who worked diligently to try to save the life of the victim,” Carroll said.