Crime & Safety
Camden Man Convicted of Killing 6-Year-Old Boy, Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl
Osvaldo Rivera faces the possibility of life in prison.
A Camden man has been convicted in the murder of a six-year-old boy and assault on a preteen girl in their home in 2012, Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo announced.
Osvaldo Rivera, 33, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault, burglary, terroristic threats, felony murder – aggravated sexual assault, felony murder – burglary, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and two weapons counts. The jury reached a verdict after two and a half hours of of deliberation on Friday.
Rivera was found guilty of entering a home on the 900 block of Ware Street in Camden before 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2012, and assaulting a 12-year-old female living there.
Rivera was armed with a knife and cut the girl as well, including deep gashes across her throat.
During the assault, the child’s six-year-old brother, Dominick Andujar, came out of a bedroom to protect his sister. He enabled the 12-year-old to flee, but Rivera fatally stabbed the six-year-old boy.
The 12-year-old ran to a neighbor’s home where she received help. One of the neighbors ran back to the victims’ home despite being uncertain whether the killer was still inside to retrieve the victims’ sister. The children’s mother was at the hospital at the time of the attack.
Testimony during the trial included a detailed account of the attack from the 12-year-old victim, who still bears scars from the wounds she received.Rivera claimed he was intoxicated at the time of the assault, but Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah said there was no evidence to support he had consumed alcohol.
Shah added that Rivera was fully aware of his surroundings during a complicated escape route. He leapt over fences and generally displayed balance and coordination unlikely in a person so intoxicated they would be unaware of their actions, Shah said.
Rivera faces the possibility of life in prison during his sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 23.
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