Yankees Mariano Rivera and wife Clara accused of covering up child sexual abuse at home and church

Mariano Rivera and his wife face allegations of failing to address child sexual abuse linked to their home and church.

Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, are facing a shocking legal claim, accusing them of hiding the sexual abuse of a minor at their Rye, New York home and a summer camp affiliated with their church. 

The explosive lawsuit, seen by The Post, was filed in Westchester County Supreme Court last week, alleging that the Riveras failed to take action after discovering that a young girl associated with their Refuge of Hope church in New Rochelle had been sexually abused.

“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 sexual abuse,” Adam Horowitz of Horowitz Law, one of the lawyers representing the victim, said in a statement provided to The Post.

The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, participated in a summer internship in 2018 at the recommendation of Clara, held at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, where she was allegedly abused by an older girl, who was also a minor at the time.

Doe claims she was repeatedly sexually abused in the camp’s dormitory and shower, with the older girl “fondling and penetrating” Doe’s breasts, buttocks and genitals. 

According to the lawsuit, Mariano and Clara Rivera later traveled to the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville after Jane Doe’s mother voiced concerns about her daughter’s safety at the summer camp.

The mother was said to have been “assured” that Clara would look into her concerns and “respond accordingly.” 

The lawsuit alleges that during their trip, the Riveras “learned or should have learned information” about the ongoing sexual abuse and that they “each separately isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to remain silent about her abuse” to “avoid causing trouble” for both church organizations.

The lawsuit states that after completing the internship, the girl returned to New York and continued attending services at the Refuge of Hope church.  

Another incident of alleged sexual abuse reportedly took place in August 2018 at the Riveras' former residence on Brook View Lane in Rye, New York. This occurred during a barbecue organized for children from the Refuge of Hope church, where parents were not invited.