Mariano Rivera and his wife covered up child sexual abuse and lawsuits

New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera has been charged in a lawsuit with covering up repeated sexual assault of a minor.

Mr. Rivera, a Yankees insider for 17 seasons, and his wife, Clara, “isolated and bullied” a young girl into remaining silent about her abuse to avoid causing problems at the Yankee church. New Rochelle, N.Y., Refuge of Hope, which they helped found, according to the lawsuit.

A lawsuit against the church was filed in Westchester by the girl and her mother, who are not identified in court records to protect their privacy.

According to a civil complaint filed Wednesday that details the accusations, the girl was an active member of Shelter of Hope, which is part of the larger Assemblies of God religion and organization.

Adam Horowitz, the attorney for the girl and her mother, said the Riveras failed to keep a child safe.

It was not immediately clear who represented the Riveras and their church.

In 2018, Ms. Rivera, the church’s pastor, told the mother that the girl should attend a summer internship hosted by Ignite Life Center, another Assemblies of God church, according to the complaint.