Delaware County Daily Times - Mar 1, 2001 Article

Katelyn 's mom testifies of abuse

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Thursday, March 1, 2001

Author: MARLENE DiGIACOMO ; Of the Times Staff

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- Jennifer Helton testified yesterday that her abuse at the hands of Robert Rivera , accused in the kidnapping and killing of their 20-month old daughter, started in the summer of 1997 when she was pregnant -- and he hauled off and punched her.

She said that assault occurred while they were driving to Wildwood, N.J., and she mistakenly told him to take a wrong turn.

"He got mad because I had given the wrong directions and he punched me in the head," she said. "I was pretty shocked."

The diminutive, auburn-haired woman remained calm while on the stand during the hour-long pretrial hearing yesterday. She detailed a number of other times that she was punched, pinched, choked and threatened by Rivera since that summer when she was about seven months pregnant.

She told of another incident that occurred in October 1998 while they were driving to the supermarket. Helton said something Rivera didn't like, she said, and he punched her in the eye. She said the injury was severe enough to be treated at Riddle Memorial Hospital.

Helton testified she made up a story for hospital personnel to protect Rivera . She said she told them she and her husband were playing catch with a can of baby formula and it hit her in the eye.

Their stormy relationship that began in September 1996 culminated Aug. 10, 1999, with the abduction of their daughter, Katelyn Selena Rivera -Helton, from her day care center.

The baby's body has never been found despite exhaustive searches for more than 18 months by investigators, who have used everything from helicopters to cadaver sniffing dogs but have come up empty.

All that has been recovered so far is a tiny shoe and sock, identified by Helton as having been worn by her daughter, which was found last year on a Delaware highway.

If convicted, Rivera could face the death penalty. The 33-year-old accused baby killer, who has become volatile at times during prior court appearances, kept his emotions in check yesterday.

Assistant District Attorney John F.X. Reilly called Helton to the stand in an effort to convince Judge Charles C. Keeler that testimony regarding the abuse should be introduced at trial to establish a motive for murder.

The prosecutor is seeking to show that Rivera killed the baby to retaliate against Helton, who had sought a protection from abuse order against him, was separated and involved in a bitter custody battle over Katelyn at the time at the child's abduction. The motion is one of several that Keeler must rule on before Rivera 's trial. No trial date has yet been set.

To contact Marlene DiGiacomo, e-mail mdigiacomo@delcotimes.com