Mariano and Clara Rivera deny that they knew about reports of child sexual abuse or failed to act on them. A civil lawsuit alleges that they failed to protect a girl from alleged abuse connected to their church. The complaint’s claims are allegations, not court findings; reporting in May 2025 said the Riveras were added as defendants in an amended complaint.
What does the lawsuit allege?
A complaint filed in Westchester County, New York, on January 16, 2025, by a plaintiff identified as Jane A. Doe alleges that she experienced abuse during a 2018 camp program at Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, and later at a barbecue at a property associated with the Riveras in Rye, New York. It also alleges that an adult youth leader associated with Refuge of Hope abused her in 2021. These claims appear in a civil pleading and have not been established as findings of fact. The complaint
The complaint says Clara Rivera recommended the camp. It further alleges that the Riveras traveled to Florida after the girl’s mother raised concerns, but failed to take protective action, and that the girl was later exposed to risk at another event. The allegations against Mariano and Clara Rivera concern what they allegedly knew and did—not that they themselves abused the plaintiff. The complaint
What did Mariano and Clara Rivera deny?
The Riveras’ attorney, Joseph A. Ruta, said they did not tolerate child abuse and called “completely false” claims that they knew about abuse reports or failed to act. Ruta said the couple first heard the allegations in 2022, when a New York attorney sent a settlement request, and received another request in 2023. Ruta’s statement
Ruta also disputed the lawsuit’s account, saying it contained inaccurate and misleading statements. That is the Riveras’ position through counsel; it does not resolve the plaintiff’s allegations.
Were the Riveras named as defendants?
Yes. The initial lawsuit named Refuge of Hope and an LLC associated with a home owned by the Riveras. The Washington Post reported that an amended complaint filed in May 2025 replaced the LLC with Mariano and Clara Rivera as defendants. Being named in a lawsuit is not a determination of liability. Initial complaint; Washington Post report
What is known about police reports and criminal charges?
The Associated Press reported that the girl and her mother filed police reports concerning the alleged abuse in 2018 and 2021. AP said the 2022 police report described the plaintiff’s allegation of 15 instances of inappropriate touching over two weeks; that number is a claim attributed to the report, not an independently verified statistic. AP quoted the plaintiff’s attorney, Adam Horowitz, saying he did not believe criminal charges had been brought in the cases. The available reporting does not establish whether any later criminal proceedings followed. Associated Press report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Has a court decided the civil case?
The available reporting does not establish a final ruling, settlement, dismissal, or current procedural status. The complaint’s allegations and the Riveras’ denial remain competing accounts in the sources cited here; neither should be presented as a court-established conclusion. Available case reporting
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