The uncle of 11-year-old late Consentino student Precious Wallaces has been charged with alleged rape of a child, the Essex County District Attorney’s office confirmed Tuesday. (File photograph)
Miguel Rivera, the 58-year-old uncle of Haverhill 11-year-old Precious Wallaces, was back before a Lawrence District Court judge Tuesday, this time facing a new charge of alleged rape of a child with force, WHAV confirms.
The new charge comes one week after Rivera was arraigned for allegedly permitting substantial bodily injury leading to the girl’s December death.
The victim at the center of the new charge has not been publicly identified, though the incident is said to have taken place on Dec. 15, 2018 at Rivera’s Lawrence home.
As WHAV previously reported, Consentino sixth-grader Wallaces and her sibling spent the night of Dec. 15 at their uncle’s house before she was allegedly exposed to fentanyl. During a police interview, Rivera said he slept in the same bed as the children, and was awakened by Wallaces having trouble breathing. Attempting chest compressions on the girl, Rivera called 911—but waited 13 minutes before dialing, police said.
“Miguel was not acting appropriately for the given situation and did not appear to have any sense of urgency,” Lawrence Detective Ana Villavizar testified in a police report.
Rivera later said he flushed sleeping pills down the toilet of his apartment’s common bathroom while Wallaces was in medical distress because he was “nervous” she ingested the medication. Final autopsy results on the girl are pending, the Essex County DA’s office said.
According to Rivera, Wallaces’ sibling was sleeping during her time of duress and did not wake up until emergency personnel arrived. Rivera also told police the trio did not leave the apartment or get any visitors overnight.
Currently held without bail, Rivera next faces a judge in March.