Exam ordered for teen accused of trying to kill family

Plymouth Township — A judge Friday ordered competency exams for a teenaged girl and her adult boyfriend who are both charged with conspiring to kill her family.

Plymouth District Court Judge Michael Gerou ordered Roksana Sikorski, 15, and her 23-year-old boyfriend, Michael Angelo Rivera, to undergo the examinations before a preliminary examination to see if there is enough evidence to bind them over for trial on attempted murder and related charges.

Rape charges against Rivera were also dismissed Friday on Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Tink's request.

"It's upsetting," said Sikorski's mother, Laurene, about the dismissal of the rape charges against Rivera.

Her father, Jeffery, added: "That shows how incompetent the prosecutor's office is. They don't care."

Sikorski's attorney, Leslie Posner, had objected to the competency evaluation, but relented. Posner said her client is a bright girl and she "understands the charges against her."

But the prosecutor's office disagreed.

"Based on information we have about Ms. Sikorski we have decided that the most prudent way to proceed is to have the court refer her for a competency evaluation by the Forensic Center," said Maria Miller, a spokeswoman for Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Posner said the charges are a "confluence of horrible events" that included Rivera "pursuing" the teenaged girl.

"She said I didn't want to do this," said Posner about her client's feelings toward Rivera and their relationship.

The two are due back in court Dec. 12.

Membes of the Sikorski and Rivera families were in court Friday.

The pair is accused of trying to kill her family around 2 a.m. Oct. 17 at the Sikorski family home in the upscale Heather Hills subdivision.

According to a police report obtained by The Detroit News, Sikorski was allegedly guided through the stabbing of her younger brother by Rivera, who stood outside the home at a window.

Sikorski, according to the report, was worried whether the knife she allegedly used in the crime would do the job.

According to the report filed by the Western Wayne (Law Enforcement) Task Force, Roksana Sikorski asked her boyfriend "is this sharp enough?" referring to the 6-8-inch filet knife police say the 15-year-old allegedly used to stab her younger brother in the neck.

Sikorski's younger sister, who is 11, screamed that the brother had been stabbed saying, "Lucas just got stabbed by Roxy," according to the police report filed Oct. 17, several hours after the 2 a.m. incident. Sikorski's younger siblings showed up to court Friday in anticipation that they would have to testify against their older sister.

Sikorski, a student at Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, is accused of conspiring with Rivera to kill her family. Police said they fled the home before being picked up by two of Rivera's friends and taken to Detroit's southwest side where Sikorski, who was slightly injured from jumping out a window in her family's home, and Rivera were arrested.

Rivera's friends were not charged in the case.

Posner repeated her call for Sikorski to be tried as a juvenile. The Prosecutor's Office said the "alleged facts in this case strongly warrant" charging her as an adult.

Posner said the girl's family also believes she suffers from traumatic stress syndrome and other disorders as a result of being in an abusive home before she and her younger brother and sister were adopted 10 years ago from Poland by Laurene, a nurse anesthetist and healthcare manager, and Jeffrey Sikorski, an engineer.

Laurene Sikorski said Roksana is a "loving" girl who "fell under (Rivera's) spell" after meeting him on Facebook around March.

At her arraignment last week, the parents vowed to stand by their daughter, appearing with her in court.

Roksana was arraigned on several charges, including attempted murder and conspiracy.

Laurene Sikorski said Friday was the first time she saw Rivera when she saw the man in court.

"I feel sorry for his family," said Laurene Sikorski saying she does not blame them.

The mother said the family received a letter from their daughter from the Wayne County Juvenile Detention where she is being held on bond.

"She sent a letter to the home saying she loves us," said Laurene Sikorski Friday.

Rivera was arraigned earlier this month. According to the police report, Rivera told officers he and the teen talked about and came up "with a plan" to kill Sikorski's family because her parents wanted to send her to "another foster family" to keep him and Roksana apart.

He also said he was only "trying to scare" the teen by going along with the plan.

Meanwhile Sikorski's family has set up a website for donations to aid in her legal fund.

bwilliams@detroitnews.com

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