Delaware County Daily Times - Aug 25, 1999 Article

Construction site searched

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Wednesday, August 25, 1999

Author: SETH AGULNICKOf the Times Staff

Investigators searched a construction site in Elkton, Md., yesterday for a missing Upper Chichester toddler -- but were tight-lipped about what led them there or whether they found anything.

Detectives from the Delaware County District Attorney's office, the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police and the sheriff's department in Cecil County, Md., were all involved in yesterday's search for Katelyn Rivera -Helton.

The 20-month-old girl has been missing for two weeks. Her father is in jail on charges that he kidnapped her, but has told police he gave his daughter away to strangers.

Officers and search dogs combed an area off of Route 40, near the Delaware state line, where a complex of car dealerships is under construction.

Police began focusing on that area late Monday afternoon and continued throughout the day yesterday, wrapping up around 4:30 p.m.

No information was available from Delaware County authorities because District Attorney Patrick L. Meehan is on vacation. The FBI refused to comment, citing the ongoing investigation into Katelyn 's disappearance.

""We're following up on all possible leads,'' said Special Agent Adrienne Menn.

Cecil County officials confirmed that the search was for the little girl, but declined to say much more.

""We're assisting Pennsylvania authorities. It's just like if they were helping us, we wouldn't want them to say anything. We've agreed not to comment,'' said Detective Sgt. Robert Irwin, supervisor of the sheriff's investigative unit.

Irwin acknowledged that yesterday's search was ""just a continuance'' of one begun Monday.

Upper Chichester Police Chief William Robinson said authorities were ""covering all the bases'' in their quest to find Katelyn .

""What led them to that area was information that was received through the investigation,'' he said, declining to elaborate.

Authorities had sent divers into the Elk River and searched nearby woods last week, but came up empty. That search site was near where Katelyn 's father, Robert N. Rivera , visited friends the night his daughter disappeared.

Police say Rivera , 33, snatched his daughter from a babysitter's house two weeks ago. They were last seen together that night at a gas station in Chadds Ford.

Several hours later, Rivera showed up -- without Katelyn -- at a friend's house in Elkton. He surrendered to police the next day and told authorities he gave his daughter to a couple he met at Longwood Gardens.