N.J. father dies weeks after allegedly killing his 9-year-old son in burning car

A father already accused of setting fire to a car last month in Sayreville that had his deceased 9-year-old son’s body inside, has died in the hospital after his alleged crime, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday.

Manuel Rivera, 43, of Sayreville had been hospitalized in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital since the March 28 incident. He was found outside the car with burns on his body and an self-inflicted laceration to his throat, the office said.

Rivera, 43, took the boy, Christian Rivera, following a dispute with the child’s mother at the couple’s home on Eisenhower Drive in Sayreville, investigators said. He then drove to Sayreville War Memorial High School shortly before 10:45 p.m. on Thursday and set the vehicle on fire near the back of the building.

When police arrived, Manuel was next to the burning vehicle he had allegedly doused with gasoline and Christian was found inside, authorities said.

He had been charged with murder, second-degree aggravated arson, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree desecration of human remains, authorities said.

Seven minutes after police arrived at the high school, Rivera’s stepdaughter called 911 to report he had left the house with the boy and threatened to kill both himself and the child, an affidavit of probable cause said. The description of Rivera’s vehicle she provided matched the vehicle on fire.

Sayreville Superintendent Richard Labbe said the boy was a student at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. Rivera was hired by the school district in January as a part-time cafeteria worker and driver, according to a board of education meeting agenda.

Rivera wrote a suicide note, left in the back of the couple’s house, and recorded a video apologizing to his wife for his actions before he killed their son, authorities said.

In the video sent to her phone, he also asked his wife to cremate their son and him, according to the affidavit. He told her he “will see her in the afterlife,” the affidavit said.

A fundraiser for the family of Christian Rivera, had raised more than $76,000 toward a $100,000 goal as of Monday afternoon.

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.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.