Mariano Rivera, wife added as defendants in sexual abuse suit - ESPN

Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, have been added as named defendants in a civil lawsuit filed by a girl and her mother who say that, in 2018, the girl was sexually abused by an older child at events connected to the Riveras' church in Westchester County, New York.

The lawsuit, filed in January in Westchester County Supreme Court, did not originally list the Riveras as named defendants but did accuse them of failing to protect the girl. The suit instead named Refuge of Hope — the church founded by the Riveras, where Clara Rivera is a senior pastor — and a limited liability company that included the Riveras' former home address. They sold the home in 2022.

Adam Horowitz, an attorney for the girl, said Wednesday that the Riveras were added as named defendants in an amended court filing finalized Wednesday after it was determined they were not connected with the LLC. He said details within the lawsuit largely remain the same.

The Riveras have not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney for the Riveras, said in a previous statement that any allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse «are completely false.» He said the couple learned of the allegations in 2022 after receiving a letter from an attorney requesting a financial settlement.

According to the original complaint, Clara Rivera suggested that the girl, who was a member of the Riveras' church, attend a summer camp internship program in 2018 at an affiliated church in Florida, where the lawsuit said that children resided «without parental supervision.» Refuge of Hope paid for the girl's expenses related to the program, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit said the girl, who