The family of late actress Naya Rivera (TV’s Glee) is suing a county in California where Rivera tragically drowned this past summer.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Ventura County, the United Water Conservation District and Parks and Recreation Management for failing to adequately warn people of the dangers of venturing onto Lake Piru and for not providing the necessary equipment for its boats.
During an outing on July 8, Rivera and her 4-year-old son, Josey, rented a pontoon boat and went swimming in the lake. During that time, mother and son were separated from the boat and only Josey was able to find his way back on.
The heartbreaking narrative in the lawsuit describes Josey hearing his mother cry out for help before he noticed that she had disappeared under the water. The young boy was found an hour later alone on the boat. Rivera’s body was discovered five days later.
The lawsuit alleges the boat Rivera rented was not “equipped with a safely accessible ladder, adequate rope, anchor, a radio, or any security mechanisms to prevents swimmers from being separated from their boats.” It also argues that there was no signage to warn people about the lake’s “strong currents, low visibility [and] high winds.”
Along with the wrongful death suit, which was filed on behalf of Josey by his father Ryan Dorsey, the plaintiffs are requesting “claims for survival and negligent infliction of emotional distress” to be included.