A former Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families social worker is facing a felony charge after Pawtucket police accused her of sexually assaulting a teenager who was under her authority. Kimberly Raposa, 45, of West Warwick was arrested and arraigned on third-degree sexual assault, a charge tied to a court complaint describing a teen between 16 and 18 years old.
Raposa appeared before District Court Judge Stephen Isherwood on the felony count the same day she was charged, according to The Providence Journal. Court records cited by the paper indicate she was released on personal recognizance and ordered not to contact the alleged victim. The Boston Globe reported that Raposa was arrested by Pawtucket police and arraigned Monday on the felony charge.
DCYF Confirms She No Longer Works for the State
A DCYF spokesman said Raposa no longer works for the state and declined to comment further on the allegations, per the same Globe report. The state social workers union representing DCYF employees said in a text message that Raposa was no longer a member, and that the union's membership numbers in the hundreds. The union added that one individual's actions would not overshadow its members' dedication to serving vulnerable people.
Raposa's attorney declined to comment on the case. The circumstances surrounding her arrest and additional details about the alleged victim remain unclear, as the police report released in response to a records request was redacted in those sections.
A Pattern Behind a 2022 State Law
Rhode Island law allows a conviction for third-degree sexual assault when someone over 18 who holds a position of authority engages in penetration with a person between 14 and under 18 years old, under the statute's framework. The Globe noted that lawmakers introduced a 2022 law after accusations against former North Kingstown High School basketball coach Aaron Thomas, who was convicted in 2025 of two misdemeanor battery charges and sentenced to a year of probation.
The investigation into Raposa's case continues, and the attorney general's office said it has no comment while that process plays out. It remains unresolved what plea Raposa has entered or when the case will next be in court.
