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Lawrence man charged in connection with teen's death held without bail

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A Lawrence man has been held without bail, accused of sexually assaulting and giving cocaine to teenage girl.

He was in court Tuesday in connection to the death of 13-year-old Chloe Ricard.

Carlos Rivera faces multiple charges including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and distributing drugs to a minor.

Officials said the 47-year-old Lawrence man allegedly brought Chloe to Lawrence General Hospital on May 20, where she was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.

Chloe's body was later identified by family members after she was dropped off at the emergency room just before 5 p.m., officials said.

"From what one of the police officers said at the hospital, she was brought in and dumped at the hospital. They said she was lifeless. No pulse, no nothing, they just drove in and dropped her off," the girl's stepfather, Brian Dolan, told Boston 25 News. "She didn't even have a pulse when they pushed her out of the car."

Rivera's arrest raises more questions than answers for Chloe's family.

"You know, it's just hard," Dolan said. "I want more answers. This little kid was 13 years old and what were you doing with my daughter?"

On Saturday, investigators determined that Rivera was accompanied by a 16-year-old girl the day he brought Chloe to the hospital. Essex County DA's office stated in a release that Chloe and the other girl were at Rivera's Lawrence apartment at 59 Bellevue Street on the evening of May 19 and during most of the next day.

Police said they believe the two girls spent the night at Rivera's place.

The incident remains under investigation. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on the cause and manner of Chloe's death.

Rivera was arraigned in Lawrence District Court.

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