MA - Remains of 3 infants found, Erika Murray charged, Blackstone, Sept 2014

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Reading over an article that was printed September 16, 2014 after RR's arrest on the drug charges and in summary, it states the following:

1. EM reported to LEO she hadn't been in the basement in over 5 months (since ~March 2014)
2. RR was at work on August 28th (the day the neighbor called LEO & the children were home alone for 6+ hrs)
3. The owner of the home, KR, lived a similar lifestyle:

Ms. Rivera is believed to be Mr. Rivera's sister.

The owner of the Woonsocket home, Michael R. Leclair, said Monday that Ms. Rivera, her husband, Steve Whitney, and their four children moved out two years ago. She could not be located at a new address.

Mr. Leclair said that the couple left their first-floor apartment a mess and often left their children, who were ages 12, 10, 2 and 1½, alone at night.

"When they moved out it was disgusting. It took almost a week to clean," Mr. Leclair said.

Cheryl-ann C. Leclair, his wife, said their tenants would leave the children alone from around midnight to 6 a.m., while Ms. Rivera delivered newspapers for the Woonsocket Call. Mr. Whitney, a former welder, was unemployed, but accompanied his wife when she left for work.

Mrs. Leclair said the couple rolled their own cigarettes and left tobacco strewn around the apartment, along with trash, spoiled food and spilled drinks. They had cats that had fleas.

"They didn't care," Mrs. Leclair said. "They just didn't care."

She said Mr. Rivera came by the Woonsocket apartment once in a while for birthday parties.

The couple owed the Leclairs more than $1,900 for two months' rent and cleanup costs when they left, Mr. Leclair said.
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http://www.telegram.com/article/20140916/NEWS/309169861/0

I don't believe for a minute that RR has a cognitive dysfunction and at the same time, I wonder how these two were raised...especially since the oldest children are now living with the grandparent(s)?!? Anyone have thoughts on this?
 
sapofamily said:
Reading over an article that was printed September 16, 2014 after RR's arrest on the drug charges and in summary, it states the following:

1. EM reported to LEO she hadn't been in the basement in over 5 months (since ~March 2014)
2. RR was at work on August 28th (the day the neighbor called LEO & the children were home alone for 6+ hrs)
3. The owner of the home, KR, lived a similar lifestyle:



http://www.telegram.com/article/20140916/NEWS/309169861/0

I don't believe for a minute that RR has a cognitive dysfunction and at the same time, I wonder how these two were raised...especially since the oldest children are now living with the grandparent(s)?!? Anyone have thoughts on this?
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I have been wondering about that as well. IIRC one of the reports (before the pics of the interior came out) reported that the 2 oldest kids were living with one paternal grandparent at a home with a swimming pool. To be fair, the Child Protective Services in that area would have had to do a "home study" on this placement prior to allowing the children to go there. The home study would include a visit to the home the children will be residing - ensuring it is safe and healthy (ie: condition of the home, smoke alarms, adequate sleeping areas, etc). Furthermore, CPS would have done background checks for criminal and prior CPS history on the identified grandparent. I assume RR's parents either divorced or one of them is deceased.

I agree that both KR and EM appear to have similar traits (ie: trash in the home, leaving children unattended for hours). I think RR & EM moved into this home in 2006 with KR and her significant other and their children. KR (etal) moved out in 2007. What I find interesting is EM's Atty Halpern has reported that one of the deceased infants was born 8 years ago. That would put us in 2006 - so one of those infants remains was in the home while KR lived there. I believed we have a confirmed report that LEO responded to the home in 2007 responding to a female (not EM) who was having some sort of medical/mental health issue.
 
According to the assessor's records, this home went into KR's name in 2001. It appears as if she's younger than RR and would've been about 18-21 yo at that time -- RR would've been about 24. Wonder why the home went to her and not to him?
 
Also in 2007 was the report to Department of Children & Families....wonder who called the complaint in and if it was around the same time of the MH call presumably for KR? The oldest kiddos would've been about 6 and 3 at the time, right?

The Department of Children and Families says they visited the home in 2007 but could not find support for a complaint that was filed and only found a dirty carpet, which they ordered the children’s parents to clean.
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http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/09/...aints-about-refuse-debris-at-blackstone-home/
 
So EM claimed she hadn't been in the basement in 5 months. RR claimed he spent 99% of his "awake" time in the basement. RR claimed he only saw the 3 y/o one time and never knew she had been living in filth - furthermore, he had no knowledge of the infant (both just steps away). Who brought the diapers to the basement and why?

Three dead babies and four dead animals and nobody noticed or cared? I can only wonder what those older 2 kids thought - were there threats the same thing would happen to them? (or was it implied?)

I really hope the Maternal Grandparents have had time to look through each and every picture, and for them to hear the condition of those 2 babies. At what point do you not enter your child (and grandchildren's) home for 10 years? Did they do that to make EM feel better (or themselves)?

The level of power and control EM held over RR (if he is to be believed) and her children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, (and community in general), is astounding! She was able to keep these sick secrets for so long, to the detriment of her own offspring. She clearly never bonded with the youngest two, but I truly wonder how much the extended family parented the older two when they were small. If not for other family members being involved with those kids lives, I highly doubt they would be faring as well as they are today.
 
I found a picture today I had not seen before. I did a google image search with EM & RR's names

A note taped to what appears to be a door that reads:
"To Reporters:
Beware of "fleas" on this side of the street. BOH has been notified. 9/15/14"

I am not sure of the source.
 
I believe they are both very mentally ill.I wonder how it escalated and became so bad.What stands out to me in the interview with the husband however is how he is saying something to the effect "how could she think this was a good idea?" what makes him think she thought "it' was a good idea if they haven't discussed it?Whatever psychological horror went on in their head they are equally liable IMO
 
trackhit said:
I am really squicked out by the video of RR. He just doesnt seem right. He seems to have some sort of mental disability.
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but he works right? drives a car...smokes & grows pot...plays cards and has friends..........so he can't be to bad mentally IMO
 
Murray’s attorney, Keith Halpern, said Rivera told police he slept in the same bed as Murray every night, just steps from the 3-year-old’s room.

Despite that, Rivera claims he never saw the 5-month-old and laid eyes on the 3-year-old just once. And he insisted he didn’t know Murray was pregnant five times following the birth of their two oldest children.

“I knew she was baby-sitting a child. A child. A child — the older one,” Rivera said. “Never, not once, heard a baby cry. She hid everything from me ... everybody, my family, her family.”
 
Just dropping in to say I hope those kids and babies get to eat a yummy Thanksgiving dinner. I hope their tummy's get full and they get to giggle and delight and be thankful for having a chance for a normal productive life ahead.

Wishing you all the warmest and happiest Thanksgiving!
 
Checking in...I'm sure we've all taken a much needed pause from this particular case. Has anyone heard any new info via MSM? I believe there is a court date for EM or RR or both this month. If it is EM's in Dec., is this the one she waived her appearance or was it the one in Nov.? EM attended a baby shower prior to being arrested, per MSM, and it seems the expected family member made his arrival recently. I hope the tragedy in Blackstone has created greater awareness within the entire family to ensure the health, safety, and love of the newest/future members. I also extend the hope that the surviving Blackstone children are doing well. Stay positive - something good will come from all of the tragedy (even if we never get to witness it...I gotta believe that)!
 
I still find myself checking in here every few days to see if any new information surfaces...also noticed the new arrival in EM's family. I'm thinking that RR may have court again this month, but nothing for EM until January:

Defense attorney Keith Halpern filed a motion requesting his client not be required to appear in court on Nov. 12, her next scheduled appearance. A judge approved the change Wednesday morning and scheduled Murray's next court appearance for Jan. 14, 2015, after the prosecution agreed. The judge also waived Murray's appearance for the January date.
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http://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/index.ssf/2014/11/erika_murrays_case_delayed_pen.html

Here it is...December 17th for RR:

Rivera, who was is facing marijuana possession and distribution charges, told the court he still does not have an attorney and said he had to quit his job at Staples to get the money from his 401k to pay for one.

He is due to return to court on Dec. 17.
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http://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/index.ssf/2014/11/raymond_rivera_talks_about_lif.html
 
I wonder if RR has obtained an attorney yet? Also, why wasn't he appointed an attorney if he is indigent? There are so many moments and things that make me scratch my head in this case one would think I had "critters". Do we believe he's been living in his vehicle? I know we've all wondered of the involvement of EM's family...and how she never seemed to mention his family. I wonder if that means they're all estranged?? I'll stop there or my "I wonder" train is gonna get stuck in a loop.

Thanks for the info Sapo. I'll keep my eyes peeled around those dates for any developments and will post if I see/find anything.
 
IIRC RR needed to cash in his 401K to hire an Atty.

The court previously found that he did not meet the criteria for a paid Defense Atty.

EM's court date has been pushed back until January.

Where is the ME report on the infant remains???
 
I am curious if RR has contested paternity of the younger children or if they've confirmed that he actually is the father?
 
Mother faces murder charges in Blackstone squalid home case
Erika L. Murray, the mother whose squalid Blackstone home was found to have three dead infants in it, has been indicted on two murder charges, Worcester County prosecutors said Tuesday.
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Also Tuesday, Raymond Rivera, 38, Murray’s boyfriend, who says he lived mostly in the basement of the home, pleaded not guilty in Worcester Superior Court to two counts of assault and battery on a child, causing substantial injury; two counts of reckless endangerment of a child, two counts of cruelty to animals, and one count of cultivating marijuana.
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Prosecutors said DNA testing had determined that Rivera was the father of all seven children, dead and alive, who were found in the home.
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http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/12/16/blackstone/CgRQAA1JSlYVkEQZfFpkpM/story.html
 
I haven't watched the press conference (not sure if it's even posted on this link), but the "play by play" below the pics seems to give a good bit of information.

http://www.masslive.com/news/worces...cester_da_gives_update_on_b.html#incart_river

According to that info, EM left the bed every night to go to the 6 mo old's room?! WHAT?! "People" had been in the home but they didn't know how far? I have a pretty good guess as to who those "people" are....At least one of them anyway, but until they're named I will zip it. All of us are capable of deductive reasoning after reading SM accounts and such.

I'm glad to hear the 2 youngest are being well cared for....I wonder what the future holds for them? With the charges and such being what they are...Does anyone know if this will mean EM and RR will have their rights permanently terminated? I know losing custody and terminating rights are different things. I just don't know if these charges/prison would ensure termination or if it would just lead to them losing custody. I would think if either parent (primarily RR) were released, it would be a very difficult transition for the little ones to reintegrate since he says he didn't even know them. I'm just hoping they 2 little ones don't remain in "the system". They deserve so much more.
 
After watching a few MSM videos, unless something changes, it seems both RR and EM have pleaded not guilty. Do any of you think this will go to trial? It was brought before a grand jury. The pictures/documentation, the statements from the DA/prosecution, doctors, statements from EM, witnesses, and children indicate to me that this would be an open and shut case. Do any of you think there will be a plea agreement or that this will never see an actual trial for either of them, or is that just me? I know in some cases the public is privy to or can access grand jury testimony/evidence, but other than curiosity, would there truly be a need in this case?

Out of my own curiosity, what do any of you think EM/RR are thinking of one another at this point? I mean they were together for many years, through 7 children (at least, if there were no miscarriages), and now counsel is portraying each as a victim of one another or circumstance. As someone else mentioned before, I don't blame counsel, that is their duty to their client. However, what do you think the tone would be if EM/RR were reunited (not necessarily free, but as an unobserved visitation like thing)? As referenced earlier, after the children were removed, RR picked EM up along the road and they allegedly stayed at her parent's home. So, personally, I don't feel they were unaware of what was coming as far as charges/arrests. Thoughts?
 
Video of RR's court appearance. What is up with all the shaking? Is that for real or his attempt to look like EM's helpless victim too? I am so glad charges have finally been brought against him. I was really afraid they were going to let him skate, and saying that, I really hope the charges aren't just a ploy to get him to roll on EM. There seems to be more than enough evidence to convict both without cutting any deals.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/v...dh-charges-in-house-of-horrors-case.whdh.html
 
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