Report: Items tossed in sewer after Amesbury girl brought to ER | Local News

LAWRENCE — After Carlos Rivera left Chloe Ricard, 13, of Amesbury at Lawrence General Hospital’s emergency room, he walked over to a “water drainage sewer,” just feet away from his vehicle, and threw something away, according to a newly released police report. 

Rivera “then got down on both of his knees and made certain those items went down the sewer. Investigators recovered two white straws that were cut, an orange cigarette filter, and a plastic twisty with a white powdery substance believed to be illegal narcotics,” wrote Lawrence Detective Timothy Yerian in the report. 

The girl died shortly after Rivera left her at the ER on May 20, police said.

Rivera, 47, of 59 Bellevue St., Lawrence, was indicted last week on numerous criminal charges, including distribution of fentanyl, a deadly, man-made opioid; rape and indecent assault and battery. 

According to the police report, which was impounded by court order until Monday, Rivera was known “to have young girls ranging in ages from 13 to 16 years old at his apartment and would produce drugs and alcohol for them to use/consume.” 

Witnesses told police Rivera gave the girls “cocaine and marijuana” and they “would also drink alcohol in his apartment,” according to the report, which had juveniles’ names blacked out. 

The police investigation also revealed Rivera was with two teens on May 19.  A girl, age 16, said she saw Rivera sexually assault the other girl and that Rivera provided “cocaine on a mirror” that was snorted with a straw. 

Another teen told police she had been at Rivera’s apartment on May 17 or 18 and “during that time Rivera touched her indecently and without her consent,” according to Yerian’s report. 

Rivera is 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 290 pounds, has tattoos all over his body and at the time of his arrest was carrying $528 cash, according to a Lawrence police booking slip, also released on Monday. 

He faces arraignment July 19 in Salem Superior Court in connection with Ricard’s death. 

The Essex County grand jury last week handed down seven indictments against Rivera, who was previously arraigned and held without bail in Lawrence District Court. 

The indictments included distribution of fentanyl, aggravated rape of a child with force (10-year age difference), three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under age 14 and two counts of illegal distribution of cocaine to a minor, according to court paperwork.

The indictments say Rivera unlawfully distributed fentanyl on May 20, the same day Ricard died.

The penalties he now faces in Superior Court, if convicted, will be more severe than at the district court level.

At the request of prosecutors, reports in the case were blocked from the press and public’s view until July 1.

Prosecutors assigned to District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s routinely request impoundment of public documents in major criminal cases.

Results taken during Ricard’s autopsy linked Rivera to her, according to prosecutors.

The cause and manner of Ricard’s death have not been released.

The girl’s death certificate from the medical examiner’s office, filed with the Lawrence city clerk, said Ricard’s manner of death is “pending investigation.”

Blodgett’s office has not formally identified Ricard as the teen who died at the emergency room, however, her family has said Ricard was the victim.

The state’s Department of Children of Families also is investigating Ricard’s death, a spokesperson previously confirmed.

Ricard, a former Amesbury public school student, most recently attended Solstice Day School in Rowley.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.