Raymond Rivera

On April 3rd, Raymond Rivera passed away from COVID-19 at the age of 55. He was a hardworking, compassionate man who loved his family. He is survived by his wife and son, who miss him dearly. 

On his death, Raymond’s wife commented, “It was a tragedy the way it happened.” Raymond was taken to Rikers Island in New York City last August for a minor parole violation, where he waited for eight months for a decision on his charge. Raymond’s son told The Intercept about the long wait, saying, “They just kept prolonging it, I really don’t know why it took so long.” He said his dad would say in response, “That’s how the system works, you’re running on their time.”

While Raymond waited for his decision, more and more people at Rikers Island were becoming exposed to the deadly coronavirus. The conditions at Rikers Island also exacerbated the risk of exposure. Raymond told his wife that “Guys don’t cover their mouth when they cough.” Raymond soon fell ill, and was sent to Bellevue Hospital Center, where he tested positive for COVID-19 and passed away on April 3rd. 

Raymond’s warrant was lifted on April 2nd, the day before he passed away. The judge had actually declared his release in late February, but it had taken six weeks for state parole officials to release his warrant. By then, Raymond had already fallen ill and was admitted to Bellevue Hospital Center. He died the day after his warrant was lifted. His son remarked of the situation, “Somebody messed up somewhere.” His wife echoed her son’s sentiment, stating, “[Raymond] needed to be home.” 

Raymond’s tragic passing was entirely preventable and underscores the need for state officials to take action in order to prevent unnecessary deaths. As COVID-19 continues to spread rampant through facilities, every day of inaction may result in another falling ill. Social distancing is next to impossible at Rikers Island, where up to 40-50 people share toilets and dorms and over 200 incarcerated people and staff have already contracted the virus. Further action needs to be taken to prevent unnecessary deaths such as Raymond’s. Raymond will be deeply missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace.   

This memorial was written by MOL team member Claire Lee with information from reporting by Alice Speri of The Intercept, Jan Ransom of The New York Times, and Jan Ransom and Alan Feuer of The New York Times.