A 49-year-old Haverhill man faces a dangerousness hearing after being arrested on multiple charges of rape and indecent assault involving his then-seven-year-old adopted daughter in 2018.
James J. Richardson of 7 Griffin St., Haverhill, was arraigned Monday in Haverhill District Court on three counts of rape of a child with force, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under age 14 and aggravated rape of a child involving more than a 10-year age difference. First Justice Cesar A. Archilla ordered Richardson held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing and to have no contact with families. Richardson is scheduled to return to court via Zoom Dec. 8.
Richardson was arrested on a warrant after a Haverhill Police investigation was spurred by the child’s mother reporting the abuse last Sept. 8. According to a police report, the mother, stepfather and child, now of Methuen, came to the police station right after the child revealed the alleged sexual assaults which took place at a home on Winter Street. They quoted the child as saying, “Daddy made me do something really bad.”
The child was reported as saying the rapes occurred about five times and Richardson “would bribe her with money and toys.”
According to a police report, the case was also forwarded to the state Department of Children and Families.
Police also reported an interview with the child’s mother revealed she left her husband eight years ago and they have three biological children together and adopted the daughter when she was 18 months old. The mother said “she has never observed any behavior towards the children that would raise concern.” She learned recently, however, two of their children would share a bed with their father during visits.
Police reported the child told them “…she does not want to go to court because she is scared to face home (her father) again.”