A New Jersey father wrote a suicide note and recorded a video apologizing to his wife for his actions before he killed their 9-year-old son by lighting a vehicle on fire, authorities said.
The details about Manuel Rivera’s actions before driving the boy to Sayreville War Memorial High School on Thursday night and torching the vehicle are outlined in an affidavit of probable cause in the case. Rivera, 43, is charged with murder, aggravated arson and other offenses.
Family members have identified the boy as Christian Rivera, a student at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in the borough. A memorial has been set up in his memory at Veterans Memorial Field.
Rivera and his wife were having marital problems that reached a tipping point on Thursday when he took the boy following a dispute at the couple’s home on Eisenhower Drive in Sayreville, authorities said.
Surveillance video shows Rivera setting the vehicle on fire near the back of Sayreville War Memorial High School shortly before 10:45 p.m., then exiting the car, according to the court document.
When police arrived, Rivera was next to the burning vehicle he had doused with gasoline, authorities said. He had burns across his body and a laceration to this throat, the affidavit said.
Seven minutes after police arrived at the high school, Rivera’s stepdaughter called 911 to report he had left the house with the 9-year-old boy and threatened to kill both himself and the child, the affidavit said. The description of Rivera’s vehicle she provided matched the vehicle on fire.
Police later spoke to Rivera’s wife and learned he sent a video to her phone and left a suicide note in the back of their house.
In the video, he apologized and asked his wife to cremate their son and him, according to the document. He also told his wife he “will see her in the afterlife,” the affidavit stated.
Rivera also apologized in his suicide note, the affidavit said.
Rivera remained in the hospital on Monday and had neither a court date or attorney listed, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office said. He is also charged with endangering the welfare of a child and desecration of human remains.
Rivera had been hired by the school district in January as a part-time cafeteria worker and driver, according to a board of education meeting agenda.
Editor’s note: NJ Advance Media typically limits reporting on suicides to those that occur in crowded public places, involve public figures or, in special circumstances, where there is a larger public impact. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors can be reduced with the proper mental health support and treatment. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Stories by Jeff Goldman
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.