Fall River man sentenced to jail time for death of 10-year-old

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said that a 33-year-old Fall River man whose “negligent driving” resulted in the death of a 10-year-old New Bedford girl was sentenced to serve jail time.

Robert Silvia pled guilty to a charge of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation.

On Sept. 13, 2020, the victim, Anilda De Barros Ribeiro, was the back seat passenger in her father’s vehicle which was stopped in the left lane of travel on Route 6 in Westport due to a minor fender bender.

Quinn said that the car Ribeiro was in was struck by Silvia’s vehicle, killing her.

During interviews after the crash Silvia first said he did not see the vehicle and lost control of the car due to a hand injury, but later said he was reaching for a cigarette and lighter at the time.

Quinn added that a crash reconstruction showed that Silvia would have been able to stop or brake, and another lane of travel was open at the time.

“This was a case of negligence, that the defendant failed to show due care while driving and that the lack of attention to the roadway caused the death of the victim,” he said.

Silvia was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in the Bristol County House of Corrections, with 18 months to serve and the final year suspended sentence.

he also had his license revoked for 15 years.