She was navigating the city on her own.
Annabel Richter, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, took a bold step by moving far from home to pursue her dreams in New York City. However, her journey ended tragically when a man allegedly drugged and assaulted her while she was suffering from a fentanyl overdose, as reported by a family friend.
The accused, 19-year-old Moises Freire, reportedly drugged both Richter, 21, and her roommate in their Chelsea dorm in March.
Both young women lost consciousness and were taken to a hospital, but only the roommate survived.
“She seemed really sweet and kind,” said Christina Perez, a family friend, speaking to The Post. “She was also very bright.”
Perez noted that Richter’s family resided in Sao Paulo, Brazil, except for her grandmother, who lives in Washington state, during her time in college.
“She had always wanted to be in New York,” Perez mentioned. “It made me a little anxious because she didn’t know anyone there—her family was still in Brazil.”
Virginia “Gini” Richter, Annabel’s grandmother, is devastated and “going through a lot” since the tragic incident.
The rest of Annabel’s family traveled to the U.S. for her memorial service in Portland, Oregon.
“I can’t even fathom what her parents must be feeling. It’s just a dreadful situation. So very sad,” Perez expressed.
Flavia Rocha, Annabel’s mother and a poet, posted a heartfelt tribute to her daughter on Instagram a few days after the tragedy.
“With profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved daughter Annabel. Her spirit forever lives in our hearts,” she wrote.
Rocha also shared a poem that Richter penned when she was just 10, titled “What is Red?” along with a lovely photo of her daughter wearing a light pink top.
“Bel and I often talked about how women facing violence rarely have a voice. I hope Annabel’s story raises awareness and leads to justice,” the grieving mother told The Post previously.
According to court documents released Thursday, Freire wrongly claimed he was bringing the women cocaine from Mexico, despite having earlier described fentanyl as akin to “poison” in a text.
On March 18, Freire, who was not affiliated with FIT, allegedly administered the dangerous substance in their dorm room. It remains unclear how Richter and her roommate were acquainted with him.
Prosecutors say he assaulted Richter while she was unconscious and delayed calling campus security for 45 minutes. Emergency responders administered Narcan before rushing them both to the hospital.
Freire allegedly took photos of Richter while she was incapacitated and undressed to share with others.
He also misled campus security, saying the women were merely intoxicated and claimed he hadn’t realized what was happening until it was too late, according to prosecutors.
“It’s really hard to believe that the defendant appeared coherent and sober at the time. He even seemed completely aware if you look at the security footage,” prosecutor Ariana Bloom argued during an April court hearing.
Freire’s friend, Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, from Queens, has also faced drug-related charges for allegedly assisting Freire in acquiring the fatal fentanyl.
Both Freire and Peralta Cabrera were arrested in March and have pleaded not guilty to initial charges unrelated to the rape accusations; they remain in custody.
Freire is scheduled to return to court on October 28 for arraignment on upgraded charges, which include distributing a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, among others. If convicted, he could face a minimum of 20 years up to a life sentence in prison.
A third individual, Harry Rosales Pino, has entered a guilty plea for drug distribution linked to a resulting death.
