SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
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Missing Since: August 10, 1999 from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: December 12, 1997
Age: 1 year old
Height and Weight: 2'6, 23 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Blonde hair, brown eyes. Katelyn has a birthmark on her back near her left shoulder blade. Some agencies may spell her first name "Kaitlyn" and may refer to her last name as Rivera.
Details of Disappearance
Katelyn's parents, Jennifer Helton and Robert Rivera, met in Pennsylvania in 1995. Their photos are posted below this case summary. It is unclear if Jennifer was aware of Robert's criminal history at the time they began dating. Jennifer told authorities that Robert hit her at least ten times while she was pregnant with their daughter. Katelyn was born in December 1997 and Jennifer maintained that Robert beat her six additional times after the child's birth. Jennifer took Katelyn and moved out of the family's residence in July 1999. She said that Robert attacked her again when she attempted to remove some of her belongings from the apartment later in the month. Jennifer filed charges against Robert and he was arrested for assault. The court ordered that Robert was only allowed one-hour weekly supervised visits with his daughter at that time.
Jennifer attended Robert's preliminary hearing during the morning of August 10, 1999 in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania. Robert was not taken into custody at that point and he saw Jennifer and her aunt sitting in a car in a nearby store's parking lot after the proceedings were completed. He attacked both women, then drove to Katelyn's babysitter's residence in Boothwyn. The sitter told authorities that Robert broke her front door down, then abducted Katelyn. She claimed that she heard something hit the door as Robert left with the child. The sitter heard him call out, "Her head!" The sitter said she feared Katelyn's head may have collided with the door jamb. Robert later claimed only his hand hit the jamb.
Robert was driving his former girlfriend's vehicle at the time of Katelyn's abduction. His girlfriend said that he was scheduled to meet her for lunch, but he did not arrive until 5:20 p.m. and he was accompanied by Katelyn. She claimed Robert was abrasive in his manner and was driving erratically at a high rate of speed. His girlfriend testified that they drove from her workplace in Essington, Pennsylvania to Interstate 95 towards Delaware. She said that Robert called Jennifer along the way and arranged to meet her at a nearby K-Mart store to retrieve their daughter, but he passed the establishment shortly thereafter. Robert's girlfriend told authorities that they stopped at Jennifer's residence and he began shouting for her to come outside. His girlfriend said that Jennifer told him to wait a moment and Robert feared she was calling the police to report Katelyn's abduction. He sped away from the home and dropped his girlfriend off several blocks away. Robert told his girlfriend that he would return Katelyn to her mother's home, but he continued driving elsewhere.
Robert and Katelyn were seen at a Sunoco gasoline station in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania at approximately 7:17 p.m. that evening. He had been driving around Pennsylvania for the majority of the day with his daughter. An employee at the station stated that Robert purchased $2.00 worth of fuel at the time and departed with Katelyn in the vehicle. The witness said that she was crawling on the front seat of the car and appeared to be in good spirits. The worker said that Robert returned alone approximately two hours later and traded his watch for more fuel.
Robert was arrested shortly afterwards, but Katelyn was not recovered. Robert initially told authorities that he gave Katelyn to an unidentified couple at Longwood Gardens, a horticultural display garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Investigators initiated an extensive search for the child, but uncovered no evidence as to her whereabouts. Katelyn has never been heard from again.
Katelyn's yellow sock and size four sneaker with three attached sequins were discovered along southbound Route 202 in Chester County in September 1999, one month after Katelyn was last seen. Authorities never believed Robert's claim that he handed his daughter over to strangers and the discovery of her belongings cast further doubt on his statements.
Robert was charged with Katelyn's abduction and presumed murder in March 2000. Two law enforcement officers testified at Robert's pre-trial hearing and said that he insinuated he killed his daughter during interviews with authorities. Defense attorneys attempted to argue that Robert had the right to free speech and never confessed to Katelyn's murder, but the charges stood and Robert pleaded guilty.
Jennifer testified at Robert's trial, saying that he physically abused her and also phoned her and sent letters from prison. He refused to divulge Katelyn's whereabouts in all communications with Jennifer. Prison informants testified that Robert admitted he suffocated his daughter and buried her body intact, along with a shovel. The inmates claimed Robert told them he threw Katelyn's clothes out of his car window as he attempted to flee after her abduction. Authorities believe the prisoners' statements support their theory that Katelyn's clothes were discarded in Delaware.
Robert testified in his own defense against the advice of his attorneys. He admitted that he never gave Katelyn to anyone at Longwood Gardens, but claimed he was telling the truth during his trial. Prosecutors pointed out that Robert's version of Katelyn's disappearance changed nearly 30 times during his conversations with authorities. He claimed that he took his daughter away from Jennifer to 'protect' her, but he offered no evidence to support his statements. Robert continued to refuse to divulge Katelyn's whereabouts, but maintained that he did not kill her.
Katelyn's remains have never been located. Investigators theorize that Robert may have murdered his daughter in an effort to hurt Jennifer.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Upper Chichester Township Police Department
610-485-8400
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Upper Chichester Township Police Department
610-485-8400