Key Takeaways
- Sidney Rivers Jr., a former caregiver, faces felony charges for sexual assault and sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult at The Brattleboro Retreat.
- Another former employee of Brattleboro Retreat, Robert Havens, was sentenced for sexual abuse of a minor patient in 2019.
- Survivors of abuse in institutional settings may have civil legal options, allowing them to seek accountability, answers, and reform from institutions that failed to protect them.
Criminal Charges Against Former Caregiver Sidney Rivers
On January 5, 2026, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office “announced that Sidney Rivers Jr., 25, of Eureka, California, was arraigned on one count of felony sexual assault and two counts of felony caregiver sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult.”
According to the Brattleboro Reformer, “the investigation began in November 2024 after the Brattleboro Police Department received an incident report from the [victim] that she had been sexually assaulted by Rivers.” The victim was a resident of Brattleboro Retreat, the facility where Rivers worked.
Sidney Rivers Jr. was arrested on January 2, 2026, after deputies with the Windham County Sheriff’s Office located him at a facility in Vernon, Vermont, and took him into custody on an outstanding warrant. Afterwards, he was lodged at the Southern State Correctional Facility.
Rivers has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been released on bond, subject to court-ordered conditions of release, “including an order to have no contact with the victim, to not abuse or harass the victim, and to not work as a caregiver for any vulnerable adult or child.” (Vermont.gov)
Allegations Detailed in the Affidavit
According to the criminal affidavit, the alleged assault occurred on September 16, 2024, “when Rivers allegedly engaged in sexual activity ‘with a vulnerable adult who did not consent to the sexual activity or whom Rivers knew or should have known was incapable of resisting, declining, or consenting to the sexual activity due to her specific vulnerability or due to fear of retribution or hardship.’” (Brattleboro Reformer)
The affidavit also alleges that Rivers subjected the victim to lewd and lascivious acts.
When interviewed by investigators, Rivers “categorically denied” the allegations.
According to the Brattleboro Reformer, The victim did not report the incident right away, “partly because she felt she would not be believed.”
History of Sexual Abuse & Harassment at Brattleboro Retreat
The allegations involving Rivers did not occur in isolation.
According to the Vermont Division of Licensing and Protection findings, a prior incident at Brattleboro Retreat involved a patient with a “history of sexually assaultive behavior who “made ‘inappropriate sexual contact with another patient.’” Regulators determined that the Retreat violated patient rights in connection with that incident, according to reporting by VT Digger.
Prior Lawsuit
Brattleboro Retreat has also faced prior employment-related litigation. According to reporting by the Bennington Banner, a former employee filed a lawsuit alleging she was fired after raising concerns about sexually inappropriate workplace conduct involving a male nurse who also served as a union representative. While the lawsuit did not involve allegations of patient abuse, it contributes to broader questions about the Retreat and how internal complaints were and are handled at the facility.
2019 Sexual Assault Case: Robert Havens
In 2019, a former Brattleboro Retreat mental health worker, Robert Havens, was sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old patient who had been receiving inpatient psychiatric care at the Retreat.
According to VT Digger, he pleaded guilty “to charges of sexual assault on a victim under the age of 16, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, and obstructing justice. Other charges against him were dismissed as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.”
Reporting indicates the abuse began while the teenager was a patient and continued after her discharge. Havens was suspended and later terminated following the allegations.
In response to the Havens case, the Brattleboro Retreat’s vice president issued a statement that read, in part:
“‘We have since enhanced our sexual harassment policy and provided additional staff training on sexual harassment. We also enhanced education related to our Interpersonal Boundaries policy…Our focus is on preventing something like this from happening again…Our number one priority is ensuring that our campus is safe for all.’” (VT Digger)
The recent charges against Rivers raise questions about whether those promised reforms were fully implemented and consistently enforced.
Brattleboro Retreat’s Public Mission & Response
Founded in 1834, the Brattleboro Retreat was Vermont’s first mental health facility and is the largest inpatient psychiatric hospital in the state. The Retreat promotes itself as a provider of safe, compassionate, and patient-centered mental health care, emphasizing healing and excellence.
When asked about the charges against Sidney Rivers Jr., the Retreat issued a statement emphasizing its mission and confidentiality policies. “‘The mission of Brattleboro Retreat is centered on providing hope, healing, privacy and safety for every individual in our care. Our commitment to the quality of our services and the safety of our patients is the foundation of everything we do.’” (Bennington Banner)
Taken together, the contrast between the Retreat’s stated commitments and the most recent criminal charges raises questions about how consistently those principles are implemented and enforced in practice.
Abuse Allegations in Psychiatric Facilities & Civil Accountability
Individuals receiving inpatient psychiatric care may be experiencing mental health crises,, trauma, or involuntary commitment, circumstances that can make it more difficult to recognize abuse or report misconduct. At the same time, caregivers and staff are entrusted with extraordinary access to patients’ lives, bodies, and personal information. When that trust is abused, the harm can be severe and lasting.
Investigations into abuse in psychiatric settings often examine not only the alleged misconduct of an individual, but also whether the institution failed to implement adequate safeguards. Civil cases may assess staffing practices, supervision, background checks, reporting procedures, and whether any prior warning signs were ignored.
Abuse in psychiatric facilities is frequently underreported. Many survivors come forward months or years later, sometimes only after learning that others were harmed or that criminal charges have been filed. Civil cases can offer a path to answers, transparency, financial support, and institutional reform, even when abuse was not reported at the time or a criminal case is still pending.
Support and Legal Options for Survivors
If you or someone you love was harmed by Sidney Rivers or anyone else at Brattleboro Retreat, you are not alone. Help is available.
You can contact RAINN for immediate assistance and support if you or someone you loved have been victimized. You can also call Adult Protective Services at 800-564-1612 if you suspect abuse of a vulnerable adult.
There also may be legal options available. Andreozzi + Foote is a civil law firm dedicated to representing survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and exploitation.
Our attorneys focus on holding the institutions that enabled abuse or failed to protect those in their care accountable. We have extensive experience handling cases involving psychiatric facilities, health care providers, caregivers, and other authority figures.
Speaking with our firm does not obligate you to take legal action. We offer free, confidential case evaluations so survivors can learn about their rights, understand potential legal paths forward, and decide what feels right for them.
You deserve to be heard.
Contact us today.
Image sources: Brattleboro Retreat, © Google, Google Maps.
