The New York Supreme Court Lawsuit Claims a New Rochelle Church Founded by Former Yankee Pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, Did Not Protect a Child from Two Sexual Abusers Despite Chances to Do So.
A new child sexual abuse and coverup lawsuit has been filed against the Refuge of Hope Church in New Rochelle alleging that a child was sexually abused by two individuals affiliated with the church beginning in 2018 when the plaintiff was just 10 years old. According to its website, Refuge of Hope began in 2009 as a small ministry in the home of former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera. Rivera’s wife, Clara Rivera, continues to work as the church’s Senior Pastor.
According to the lawsuit, the young plaintiff, who is identified in the lawsuit as Jane A Doe because she is still a minor child, was sexually abused by church leader Ruben Tavarez in or around late 2021 and continuing into 2022. The allegations say that even after Jane Doe moved out of state, Tavarez continued to contact her to engage in graphic electronic communications. Jane Doe’s mother allegedly confronted Tavarez after she discovered the communications and he admitted to his misconduct with the child.
According to the Complaint, Jane Doe was also sexually abused by a much older girl from Refuge of Hope for several months in the summer of 2018, including at the home of Mariano and Clara Rivera. The lawsuit says the assault at the Riveras’ home occurred after the Riveras knew or had reason to know that the young plaintiff was sexually abused by the older girl at a Florida summer camp run by an affiliate church of Refuge of Hope.
According to the allegations, before the incident at their home, the Riveras went to the Florida camp to investigate concerns raised by the girl’s mother about Jane Doe’s safety. Instead of addressing and stopping the alleged sexual abuse by the other child, the lawsuit says the Riveras scared and intimidated the young victim into remaining silent about it.
Notably, three men associated with that same Florida church and summer camp, Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, have been arrested for sexually abusing kids within the past 18 months. Like Tavarez, two of the men arrested are sons of Ignite Life pastors and themselves served as church leaders:
https://www.adamhorowitzlaw.com/blog/2023/07/christian_david_vargas/
Two of the men, Gabriel Hemenez and Noel Cruz, accepted plea deals and have been sentenced in Alachua County criminal court.
The plaintiff in the Refuge of Hope lawsuit and her family are represented by the team at Horowitz Law, a nationally known law firm representing victims of sexual violence and abuse. Adam Horowitz, managing partner of the firm, said of the lawsuit, “I commend our young client for her bravery and commitment to truth. We thank her for sounding the alarm on a potentially dangerous environment for kids. Our lawsuit alleges that Mariano and Clara Rivera had a duty to protect our client and missed the opportunity to save her from the harms of child sexual abuse.”
For more information, contact Horowitz Law managing partner Adam Horowitz.
The lawyers at Horowitz Law represent children and adults who are survivors of sexual abuse by priests, ministers, rabbis, deacons, nuns and other clergy members in civil lawsuits. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual abuse or sexual assault at a church or other religious organization, please contact us now at (888) 283-9922 or [email protected].