‘Glee’ Actress Naya Rivera Family Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Accidental Drowning
A wrongful death lawsuit filed by Glee actress Naya Rivera’s former husband, Ryan Dorsey, on behalf of their son and her estate has been settled.
Rivera died in an accidental drowning in Lake Piru in Southern California in July 2020. Best known for the character “Santana Lopez” in the television musical series, .the 33-year-old Rivera was boating with her four-year-old son when the accident occurred. The lawsuit was filed in November of that year in Ventura County, where the lake is located.
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The suit accused Ventura County, its parks and recreation management agency and the United Water Conservation District of neglecting to sufficiently warn visitors of the lake’s dangers. It also claimed that it did not provide appropriate safety equipment, and inflicting emotional distress on the child who witnessed his mother’s death.
The settlement is pending court approval March 16.
Amjad M. Khan, Partner, Brown, Neri, Smith & Khan LLP, counsel for Josey Hollis Dorsey and the Estate of Naya Rivera, issued a statement confirming the settlement.
“Through this settlement, Josey will receive just compensation for having to endure the drowning of his beloved mother at Lake Piru,” said Khan. “Though the tragic loss of Josey’s mother can never truly be overcome, we are very pleased that the monetary settlement will significantly assist Josey with his life beyond this tragedy.”
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