A new lawsuit in New York accuses Mariano Rivera and his wife Clara of neglecting sexual abuse of a minor that occurred both at their home and at church.
The New York Yankees legend is pastor of Refuge of Hope Church in New Rochelle, about 15 miles from where he played.
However, “Jane Doe” says she was sexually assaulted by an older girl identified as “MG” during a summer internship in 2018. MG was a minor at the time of the alleged incidents.
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New York Yankees star Mariano Rivera stands with his Hall of Fame plaque during a ceremony in his honor at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2019. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The internship took place at Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, affiliated with Riviera Church.
The suit says the victim’s mother reported the abuse to Clara and Clara promised to investigate the matter. But they allegedly covered it up.
“Instead of taking adequate steps to end Jane Doe’s sexual abuse, Rivers isolated and intimidated Jane Doe into remaining silent about her abuse by MG so as not to cause trouble for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life summer internship.” reads
The suit also alleges MG abused the victim during a barbecue at the Riviera residence that summer.
New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera throws in the ninth inning against the Mariners on June 9, 2013 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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“Relevant at all times, [the Riveras] Knew or should have known that MG was a risk of sexually abusing children … before and during barbecue time,” the suit reads.
“To avoid and otherwise protect the potential scandal of child sexual abuse in its programs [themselves] Above all, rivers… guaranteed [Doe’s mother] K [Doe] Ignite Life Center was safe and there was no risk, despite actual or constructive knowledge that Dr MG remained vulnerable to additional acts of sexual abuse.”
Several months later, in January 2019, Rivera became the first and still only player to be unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Later that year, President Donald Trump, during his first term in office, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera waves to the crowd after hitting a career high, September 19, 2011, at Yankee Stadium. (Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images)
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Rivera, known as the greatest closer in baseball history, is the game’s all-time saves leader with 652. His 2.21 ERA is the lowest by any pitcher with at least 500 innings pitched since the live-ball era began in 1920.
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