NEW YORK — The legendary New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara Rivera, are facing allegations in a lawsuit that accuse them of not adequately safeguarding a young girl from sexual abuse during a summer camp organized by their church.
This lawsuit was filed recently, with the girl’s legal representatives claiming that the couple traveled from New York to Florida to delve into concerns raised by the girl’s mother regarding her daughter’s safety on a trip in 2018.
Instead of addressing the issues at hand, the complaint alleges that the Riveras “isolated and intimidated” the young victim, coercing her into keeping quiet about her distressing experiences, which included the reported abuse.
An attorney representing the Riveras, Joseph A. Ruta, has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that any claim suggesting that they were aware of or ignored reports of child abuse is entirely untrue. He emphasized that the couple only became aware of the allegations when they received a letter from an attorney proposing a financial settlement in 2022.
“Mariano and Clara are respected figures in New York and known for their philanthropic efforts, particularly in support of underprivileged children,” Ruta remarked. He expressed disappointment over the couple being victimized by false claims.
The lawsuit does not disclose the name of the girl but specifies that she was born in 2007, making her between 10 and 11 years old during the summer in question.
The complaint indicates that that summer, Clara Rivera convinced a church member to permit her daughter to attend a camping event at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida.
According to the lawsuit, while the girl was in an unsupervised dormitory, she became the victim of repeated sexual abuse by an older female camper. A police report filed in 2022 detailed 15 incidents of inappropriate touching occurring over a two-week span, both in her bunk and in a shower.
Though the girl did not report the incidents of abuse initially, her mother became increasingly concerned for her daughter’s safety after speaking to her on the phone. Following their conversation, the mother relayed her worries to Clara Rivera, who agreed to look into the matter, as outlined in the lawsuit.
The complaint states that during the camp trip, the Riveras received troubling information that should have raised red flags, but instead opted to remain silent to protect their church from potential scandal related to child sexual abuse. However, the lawsuit does not explicitly detail what information was shared with the Riveras.
Upon returning to New York, the girl remained active within the church community. However, during a barbecue hosted by the Riveras in Rye, New York, she was allegedly abused again by the same individual, the lawsuit asserts.
The girl’s legal representative, Adam Horowitz, remarked that the Riveras did not take adequate steps to mitigate risks and, upon learning of her status as a victim, failed to protect her or ensure that justice was served. Instead, they continued to expose her to potential harm.
In the lawsuit, it is also indicated that in 2021, the girl suffered further abuse at the hands of a male youth leader linked to the Refuge of Hope church. Her mother discovered this later, finding months of electronic exchanges between her daughter and the youth leader, according to the lawsuit.
Subsequently, the girl and her mother filed police reports in both New York and Florida concerning the allegations of abuse from both 2018 and 2021. Horowitz acknowledged that he was unaware of any criminal charges being filed in either instance. The lawsuit is directed against the Refuge of Hope church rather than the Riveras personally.
As for responses from authorities, prosecutors in New York and Florida have not yet commented on whether they are investigating the allegations.
Additionally, a representative for Ignite Life Center did not respond to requests for comments. The church has recently settled lawsuits from three individuals who alleged they were abused as teens by one of its volunteers. Furthermore, two others affiliated with the church face charges of lewd and lascivious battery against minors.
