Massachusetts

Seeking Justice, Woman Attends Arraignment of Daughter's Alleged Killer

Prosecutors now say Carlos Rivera victimized three women and and seven girls, including the two girls whom Rivera was originally charged in connection with

The mother of a 13-year-old Massachusetts girl who was killed last year is speaking out after a man appeared in court to face new charges in her death.

Carlos Rivera of Lawrence had faced other charges in connection with the death of Chloe Ricard of Amesbury. A grand jury in Essex County indicted him Thursday on an involuntary manslaughter charge in her death, along with charges accusing him of rape and human trafficking.

All but seven of the 19 indictments brought Thursday are new charges, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Rivera is now accused of human trafficking and additional rape charges.

Rivera pleaded not guilty Friday Ricard's family was in court for the arraignment.

"I have to be positive, and I am, that justice will be served," said Deborah Dolan, Ricard's mother.

Dolan was distressed to hear the charges again, but she plans to attend all of Rivera's court appearances.

Friday, she wore earrings and a bracelet that belonged to her daughter.

"Please remember, Chloe was well-loved," Dolan said. "Every day, I get messages from her friends."

Ricard was left at Lawrence General Hospital on May 20 and died shortly after her arrival, prosecutors have previously said.

Days later, Rivera was arrested on charges that initially included indecent assault and battery on a child under 13 and giving drugs to a minor. Later, rape and distributing cocaine to a minor were added.

Added indictments against Rivera charge him with involuntary manslaughter, four counts of aggravated rape of a child and six counts of human trafficking.

In June, prosecutors said Rivera sexually assaulted and gave cocaine to teenage girls. They also said he also indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl at an earlier date.

Prosecutors now say he victimized three women and and seven girls, including the two girls whom Rivera was originally charged in connection with.

According to court documents previously obtained by The Boston Globe, Rivera allegedly lured teenage girls to his apartment by offering them drugs, alcohol and money in return for sex. Prosecutors had said he may have committed sex- and drug-related crimes against "more than a dozen" other victims.

The court documents also show allegations that Rivera had over 7,000 photos of teenage girls on his phone and more than 100 pictures of girls in his bedroom.

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