The man accused of murdering and sexually assaulting a 6-year-old Sacramento girl pleaded guilty to the crime.
Juan Rivera, 28, was arrested for the murder of Jadianna Larsen in May 2015. Authorities say Rivera took custody of Larsen after he convinced her mother to leave her for medical reasons.
According to the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, sometime between May 27 and 28, 2015, Rivera sexually assaulted and murdered Larsen. He then drove to Glenn County where he attempted to burn the little girl’s body. Later, authorities say, Rivera fakes a seizure before telling police that Jadianna was missing. Investigators say Rivera’s timeline of events fell apart soon after Jadianna’s body was found.
During the investigation, detectives learned Rivera’s mother, Lisa Burton, helped him after the killing by providing a stolen vehicle for him to transport the body. In April 2017, Burton pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact to murder. She was sentenced to three years in prison.
Rivera’s sentencing trial is set for August 17, 2018. He is expected to get life without the possibility of parole.
Jadianna's mother, Tanecia Clark, filed a wrongful death suit against the California Department of Health and Human Services back in early 2017. In the complaint, Clark alleges the that DHS "could have potentially saved Jadianna's life by responding to any one of the various reports of child abuse/negligence."
Jadianna was the subject of 10 reports to Child Protective services for child abuse and neglect spanning over six years. The final report, filed April 30, 2015, occurred less than a month before she was killed.
