American man of Nebraska convicted of murder of an infant 

Ryan Rivera-Meister accused of killing a baby more than seven years ago has taken a plea bargain.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A Grand Island man accused of killing a baby more than seven years ago has taken a plea bargain.

Court records show 27-year-old Ryan Rivera-Meister pleaded no contest and was convicted Tuesday of felony attempted child abuse.

Rivera-Meister was accused of killing 16-month-old Xavier Ruiz-Alvarado in August 2016. Court records indicate the child, who Rivera-Meister had been watching for his girlfriend, died from head and stomach wounds consistent with blunt force.

Court records show Rivera-Meister fled the country shortly after the baby’s death and was extradited from Guatemala in March 2022.

Rivera-Meister is being held the Hall County Detention Center. He’ll be sentenced on Feb. 26, 2024.

The max penalty for a conviction on felony attempted child abuse is 50 years in prison.

Rivera-Meister had been originally charged with felony child abuse, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Court records indicated that attempts to subpoena at least two witnesses in the case had failed.

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Rivera-Meister with the lesser crime of attempted child abuse. Rivera-Meister then pleaded no contest to that charge.