Delaware County Daily Times - Aug 24, 1999 Article

Friends raising reward money for baby Katelyn 's safe return

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Tuesday, August 24, 1999

Author: SETH AGULNICKOf the Times Staff

UPPER CHICHESTER -- Jennifer Helton insists her hope isn't fading.

It's been two weeks since she last saw her baby daughter, but the 26-year-old Upper Chichester resident remains convinced that little Katelyn is safe.

""I'm just trying to be strong,'' Helton said. ""It's getting harder, but I'm still pretty optimistic.''

Local police and the FBI said yesterday they've had no new breaks in the search for the missing 20-month-old girl.

""I wish I could say we've found her, but, sadly, we don't know anything more about where she is or anything about her at this point,'' said FBI Special Agent Adrienne Menn.

Helton, meanwhile, is trying to raise money so she can offer a reward for information leading to her daughter. In addition to distributing donation jars around town, she's organized a ""beef 'n beer'' fundraiser.

The benefit, with all proceeds going towards the reward, will be from 7-11 p.m. Saturday at the R.S. Club in the Woodlyn Shopping Center on MacDade Boulevard in Ridley.

The establishment's board has offered Helton use of the club free of charge for the night and employees will be donating their time to staff the event.

""It's about the community coming together, hoping and praying for this little girl's safe return,'' said Annemarie Jowder, a friend of Helton's who is helping to organize the fundraiser.

Tickets, which can be purchased at the door or by calling (610) 494-1599, are $15 per person or $25 per couple. Gift certificates that have been donated by local businesses will be raffled off to help raise more money.

Robert N. Rivera , Helton's ex-boyfriend and Katelyn 's father, is being held in the Delaware County prison on charges of assaulting Helton and kidnapping Katelyn from a babysitter's house Aug. 10.

Rivera surrendered to police the next day, but told them he'd given his daughter away to a couple he met at Longwood Gardens. He told investigators he doesn't know who they are or where police can find them, but offered descriptions and said they were driving a minivan with Maryland license plates.

Police say they've been unable to independently verify that story.

A two-day search of a river and nearby woods in Maryland, near where Rivera visited some friends the night of the kidnapping, turned up nothing.

Jowder said she's been amazed at Helton's strength through the ordeal.

""She just knows that her little girl is safe. That hope is what's keeping her going,'' she said.

To donate money for the reward, make a check out to the Katelyn Rivera -Helton Reward Fund and send it to P.O. Box 1867, Boothwyn, PA 19061.

Checks can also be made out to the Sun East Federal Credit Union and sent to the bank at 201 Pennell Road, Aston, PA 19014.