SAYREVILLE, New Jersey – A horrifying incident unfolded in Sayreville, New Jersey, involving Manuel Rivera, who is facing severe charges following events that occurred on Thursday night, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone. Rivera has been charged with second-degree aggravated arson, first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree desecration of human remains.
The tragic situation involves Rivera, who was employed by the Sayreville school district, where his son was a student. Sayreville Schools Superintendent Richard Labbe confirmed Rivera’s connection to the district. The charges stem from an incident on March 28, when Rivera left a home on Eisenhower Drive in Sayreville with his son, as detailed by Prosecutor Ciccone and Sayreville Police Chief Daniel Plumacker.
Shortly after Rivera’s departure, firefighters responded to a fire near Sayreville High School on Washington Road and discovered Rivera at the scene, severely injured and with apparent self-inflicted wounds. The authorities also found a vehicle set ablaze with gasoline, containing the body of a child. Police received an initial call regarding a domestic dispute at the Eisenhower Drive residence, where Rivera’s son was taken from by Rivera, according to Plumacker and Ciccone.
Rivera was promptly transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Investigators have urged anyone with relevant information or surveillance footage to contact Detective Michael Pirigyi of the Sayreville Police Department or Detective Jose Rosario of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
As the community grapples with the tragic events, authorities are working diligently to understand the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident. The investigation remains ongoing as Sayreville residents and school officials seek to comprehend the tragedy that has unfolded in their midst.
In times of such tragedy, communities often rally together to support one another and seek answers to the questions left in the wake of such distressing events. The impact of this incident will undoubtedly reverberate throughout Sayreville and beyond, as people come to terms with the heartbreaking loss and the complex circumstances surrounding it.