SAYREVILLE, NJ — Manuel Rivera, the 43-year-old Sayreville man accused of a horrifying crime involving his deceased son, has died in hospital, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Wednesday.
Rivera had been in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital since the March 28 incident, suffering from burns and a self-inflicted throat laceration.
The tragic events unfolded last month when Rivera allegedly took his 9-year-old son, Christian Rivera, from their Eisenhower Drive home following a dispute with the child’s mother.
He drove to the Sayreville War Memorial High School, where he is accused of setting his car on fire with Christian inside. Authorities discovered both Rivera and the burning vehicle at the scene.
Rivera faced multiple charges, including murder, second-degree aggravated arson, endangering the welfare of a child, and desecration of human remains.
The situation escalated quickly as police received a 911 call from Rivera’s stepdaughter seven minutes after their arrival, stating that Rivera had left with Christian and had threatened to harm both himself and the boy. The vehicle described by Rivera’s stepdaughter matched the one found engulfed in flames.