Beau Biden's Office Arrests Newark Group Home Aide For Rape And Patient Abuse
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS)—Attorney General Beau Biden announced today that his office has arrested a New Castle County group home employee for sex crimes against a resident.
The charges allege that Hedwidge Rivas, 71, engaged in illicit sexual contact with the victim on several occasions between June and July of this year. The sexual assaults allegedly took place at a Newark group home operated by Bancroft, where Rivas worked as an aide.
The criminal investigation, conducted by the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with the support of Newark Police and New Castle County Police, was initiated after a report was made in mid-July to the State and the Newark Police Department.
"Our greatest responsibility is to act to protect the most vulnerable Delawareans," Biden said in a release.
Rivas was taken into custody this morning by Special Investigators with the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and charged with: one count of Rape in the 2nd Degree, one count of Rape in the 3rd Degree, one count of Unlawful Sexual Contact in the 3rd Degree and three counts of Patient Abuse.
Rivas was booked at New Castle County Police headquarters and was arraigned via videophone. He was then taken to Howard R. Young Correctional Center in lieu of $127,000 cash bail.
Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is urged to contact Special Investigator Curtis Clifton in the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at 302-577-8155.
