Mariano Rivera and his spouse Clara Rivera have been accused of masking up little one intercourse abuse at a Christian summer time camp affiliated with their church and in their very own house.
In a lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Courtroom on Thursday, Jan. 16, and obtained by PEOPLE, the New York Yankees Corridor of Famer, 55, is accused of allegedly ignoring the sexual abuse of a younger woman who was a member of his Refuge of Hope Church in Westchester County, N.Y.
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Mariano Rivera and spouse Clara — August 2019
The minor, who was born in 2007, is recognized as Jane Doe within the criticism, Her alleged abuser — an older feminine minor — is known as “MG.”
The incident allegedly happened on the Ignite Life Heart in Gainesville, Fla. throughout a 2018 summer time internship program that’s affiliated with the Rivera’s church.
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“Quite than take adequate motion to finish the sexual abuse of Jane Doe, the Riveras every individually remoted and intimidated Jane Doe to stay silent about her abuse by MG to keep away from inflicting bother for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life Summer season Internship,” courtroom paperwork learn.
AP Picture/Mark Lennihan
Mariano Rivera and his spouse Clara
Clara, who serves because the Refuge of Hope’s head pastor, based on its web site, can also be named within the criticism. The paperwork allege that “The Ignite Summer season Internship required kids to reside at Ignite Life Heart during this system, with out parental supervision.”
The criticism claims that the baseball professional “paid Jane Doe’s bills” to be able to “guarantee she might attend the summer time program.”
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MG is accused of allegedly abusing Jane Doe once more at a summer time 2018 BBQ on the Riveras’ Brook View house, per the criticism. The Riveras not reside at that property.
The criticism additionally alleges that Jane Doe was sexually abused by Ruben Tavarez Jr., the son of the Refuge of Hope affiliate pastor Ruben Tavarez Sr., in August 2021.
The criticism alleges that the Riveras “falsely promoted their actions and premises as being protected, ethical, and in any other case freed from a danger of hurt when it knew or ought to have identified in any other case.” The plaintiff is in search of a jury trial.
PEOPLE reached out to a rep for Mariano, in addition to Refuge of Hope church for remark, however didn’t instantly obtain a response.
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Pitcher Mariano Rivera #42 of the New York Yankees, 2006
Rivera performed 19 seasons because the New York Yankees’ nearer from 1995-2013. He’s a 13-time MLB All-Star and five-time World Collection champion and gained the 1999 World Collection MVP Award. In 2019, he obtained the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump. He’s the one participant in baseball historical past to be unanimously voted into the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame.
Per the church web site, Refuge of Hope was based by Mariano and Clara of their house in 2009. In some unspecified time in the future, they expanded and took over the North Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Rochelle, N.Y.
In the event you suspect little one abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Baby Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Baby or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is obtainable 24/7 in additional than 170 languages.
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