Delaware County Daily Times - Mar 24, 2000 Article #2

Rivera's ex hopes Katelyn is still alive

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Friday, March 24, 2000

Author: KATHLEEN E. CAREY ; Of the Times Staff

Michele Lupi wants to believe Katelyn is still alive.

The day after Katelyn Selena Rivera -Helton's father, Robert Rivera , was charged with the toddler's murder, his ex-girlfriend refused to surrender the thought that Katelyn is alive.

"I still have hope -- not for him, but for her," Lupi said yesterday.

She first met the 20-month-old toddler on Aug. 10, 1999, after Rivera picked her up from her Essington job. Lupi said he held Katelyn 's hands the entire time.

"I was the last one to hold her in my arms," Lupi said.

After meeting Lupi about 5:20 p.m., Rivera drove Lupi's car to Upper Chichester, where Katelyn 's mom, Jennifer Helton, lived with her parents.

"I was scared," Lupi said. "We had gone to Jen's house. Me and Katelyn and Rob were in the car."

She said the scene was chaotic. Lupi wanted to get away from the situation and Rivera dropped her off between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Rivera was arrested the next day outside Helton's parents' home.

Lupi said she thinks about Helton and what she's experienced.

"I still feel bad just putting myself in Jen's shoes. Jesus Christ, if somebody did that to my kid … " she trailed off. "But at the same time, did he really do it? If she was not alive, they would have found a body."

She said she thinks Rivera may have planted the sock and shoe on the highway that investigators found and attributed to Katelyn to throw people off track.

Lupi theorizes that Katelyn may be with Rivera 's relatives in Puerto Rico. She said Rivera talked after the kidnapping about Katelyn being closer to his uncle than he is.

Lupi said Rivera has an uncle in Florida. Besides, she added, one of Rivera 's sisters flew up from Puerto Rico for a one-day trip to the area. Lupi questions why it was just one day.

Her own theories have wrecked havoc on her own life.

While talking about them in a grocery store, a woman called investigators and said Lupi knew where Katelyn was.

Lupi was then subjected to dozens of interviews, including a lie detector test, which she said she passed, and DNA samples were taken from her son.

Her car was completely gutted by officials from the FBI. It was stolen New Year's Eve and Lupi now goes without a vehicle.

She said she hasn't visited Rivera in prison since the fall and no longer considers him her boyfriend but she believes he loves his daughter.

"The way he would call 9 o'clock on the dot and say, ‘Goodnight Katelyn , I love you,'" Lupi said of Rivera 's nightly habit.

She also recalled visiting six different McDonald's with Rivera in search of all the pieces of an "Inspector Gadget" toy.

"Deep down inside, I think she's still alive," Lupi said.

When asked what she would do if she saw the toddler, Lupi said, "I probably just embrace her and I'd probably say, ‘I'm sorry I couldn't do more to save her.'"

Lupi scrutinizes her actions and ponders what might have changed things. "I wish I would have stayed in the car," Lupi said. "Maybe he would have killed me instead of her."