Former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara Rivera, have been added as defendants in a civil lawsuit. The suit was filed by a girl and her mother who allege the girl was sexually abused in 2018 by an older child at events connected to the Riveras' church in Westchester County, New York.
The lawsuit was originally filed in January in Westchester County Supreme Court. It accused the Riveras of failing to protect the girl but did not initially name them as defendants. The suit instead named Refuge of Hope, the church founded by the Riveras where Clara Rivera serves as a senior pastor, and a limited liability company associated with their former home address.
Adam Horowitz, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, stated Wednesday that Mariano Rivera and Clara Rivera were added as named defendants in an amended filing. This change occurred after determining they were not connected with the LLC. Details within the lawsuit reportedly remain largely unchanged.
Mariano Rivera and his wife have not faced any criminal charges in connection with the allegations.
In other news related to the Hall of Fame pitcher, The Mariano Rivera Public Foundation is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle. The partnership aims to support career pathways for youths.
An event celebrating the partnership and supporting the Boys & Girls Club is scheduled for May 5. The 96th Annual Golf Outing and Be Great Gala will take place at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle. Proceeds from the event will support programs and services for local youths.
Beyond his community work, Mariano Rivera remains a figure in baseball discussions. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow recently cited Rivera's cutter as an element he would include when designing a perfect pitcher. Glasnow included the legendary Hall of Famer from Panama, Mariano Rivera alongside other MLB pitchers like Emmanuel Clase and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his ideal build.
Regarding the lawsuit, Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney representing Mariano Rivera and Clara Rivera, previously issued a statement.
He said any allegations that the couple knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse "are completely false."