R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-33-15: Relationship and dependency required.

No person shall be considered a dependent unless he or she is a member of the employee’s family or next of kin, wholly or partly dependent upon the wages, earnings, or salary of the employee for support at the time of the injury If there is no person as provided in this section, then the parents of any employee who has not obtained his twenty-first (21st) birthday shall be considered a dependent, regardless of whether dependent on the wages, earnings, or salary of the employee, or not.