Man suspected of killing 13-year-old arrested on drug charges

Carlos Rivera, of Lawrence, was charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and two counts of distribution of Class B drugs to a minor. Photo courtesy GoFundMe

May 26 (UPI) — A 47-year-old man was arrested in the death of a 13-year-old girl mysteriously dropped off at a Massachusetts hospital.

Carlos Rivera, of Lawrence, was charged Saturday morning with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and two counts of distribution of Class B drugs to a minor on. Rivera is being held on $750,000 bail.

He is expected to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Tuesday.

“I want to commend the entire investigative team who worked around the clock to determine the events leading of the tragic death of a 13-year old girl,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan D. Blodgett said in a statement. “We will continue our diligent pursuit of justice for this victim.”

The family publicly identified the 13-year-old girl as Chloe Ricard, of Amesbury. The medical examiner hasn’t yet ruled on the cause and manner of death.

According to authorities, Rivera and a teenage girl brought Ricard to the Lawrence General Hospital on Monday. Soon after, Ricard went into cardiac arrest and died.

Ricard reportedly ran away from home to Rivera’s apartment in Lawrence on May. 19. Prosecutors say that’s when Rivera gave drugs to Ricard.

“There’s a little justice coming, but I hope there’s more, a lot more,” Brian Dolan, Ricard’s stepfather, said during a news conference.

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