Delaware County Daily Times - Oct 5, 1999 Article

Rivera says he didn't plan kidnapping

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Tuesday, October 5, 1999

Author: ROSE QUINN ; Of the Times Staff

Jailed accused kidnapper Robert Rivera never planned anything but admitted, "Some of the things I did (were) wrong."

In a letter to the Daily Times received yesterday, Rivera said he didn't plan to kidnap his 21-month-old daughter, Katelyn, and he never wanted to hurt her mother and his ex-fiancJennifer Helton of Upper Chichester."

I wish Jennifer would remember all of the good times that we had and not the bad times I think of my daughter every second of the day No matter what happens between me and Jennifer, Katelyn is the most important thing," wrote Rivera ."

Prove it," responded Helton last night, challenging Rivera to disclose the whereabouts of their daughter who has been missing now for eight weeks.

Delaware County District Attorney Patrick Meehan issued the same challenge. "

I call on Mr. Rivera to give a full and complete accounting of what has happened to Katelyn and where we may find her."

Otherwise, Meehan said, the dialogue is closed.

The letter, dated Sept. 30, was in response to what Rivera considered a "one-sided" story published last week by the Daily Times regarding an earlier letter.

In the first letter, Rivera boasted of being the "only one" who knows the whereabouts of the missing child, who will turn 2 years old Dec. 12.

Authorities immediately noted an obvious contradiction in Rivera 's early story that he gave Katelyn away to a couple he met but did not know at Longwood Gardens the night of the kidnapping, as well as his public assertion in district court that Helton knew the child's whereabouts.

The newspaper voluntarily turned over both letters to county detective Lieut. David C. Peifer and Special Agent Donna A. Kibbie of the FBI, lead investigators in the case that's prompted massive searches in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Helton verified Rivera 's signature on the first letter. Authorities later confirmed that Rivera , who is illiterate, had an inmate at the prison write that letter for him.

The signature on the second letter appears to match the first.

Rivera faces trial on charges that he barged into the home of Katelyn 's day care provider Aug. 10 swept the child into his arms and carried her out the door. While doing so, according to court testimony, he banged the child's head on the archway.

In the latest letter, Rivera said he took Katelyn to her favorite place: McDonald's.

Rivera also wrote, "The day I took her from day care, I didn't think to bring her extra clothing. I didn't know she was on medication. I didn't plan this."

Though no one has labeled the priority case a homicide, additional searches to date have included a portion of the Elk River and miles of dense woods near the Maryland home of Rivera 's friends.

Meanwhile, a $12,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the safe return of Katelyn Rivera -Helton. Anyone with information can call township police at (610) 485-8400 county detectives at (610) 891-4700 the FBI at (215) 418-4000 or Cecil County authorities at (410) 996-547.