#Naya Rivera’s Ex-Husband Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit on Behalf of Their Son

Naya Rivera’s ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their son, Josey Hollis. Rivera passed away in July of this year from an accidental drowning in Lake Piru, which is located in Ventura, California. Now, the United Water Conservation District and the county’s Parks and Recreation Management are being sued for “wrongful death and negligent infliction of emotional distress.” In Dorsey’s lawsuit, he claims that the boat was not safe for Rivera and their 5-year old (he was 4 at the time) son to be on.

In Ryan Dorsey’s lawsuit, his lawyers claim that the boat Naya Rivera rented over the summer was “not equipped with a safely accessible ladder, adequate rope, an anchor, a radio or any security mechanisms to prevent swimmers from being separated from their boats, nor any flotation or lifesaving devices,” which is in direct violation of California law. Dorsey claims that the boat was easily able to drift away from Rivera after she jumped in for a swim.
RELATED: Naya Rivera’s Cause of Death Has Been Ruled an Accidental Drowning
Ryan Dorsey’s lawsuit also claims that the boar was violently rocking back and forth due to the dangerous current and wind conditions in Lake Piru. Dorsey and his family believe that Naya Rivera’s death could have been preventable had the United Water Conservation District and the county’s Parks and Recreation Management had all of their safety measures in place beforehand. As of this writing, the city of Ventura has yet to respond to the new lawsuit. The suit goes on to claim that there was not “a single sign anywhere – not at the entrance, at the dock, at the popular swimming area of Diablo Cove, not anywhere – warning of the lake’s strong currents, low visibility, high winds, changing water depths, underwater caves, ledges and drop offs, or the trees, brush and other debris that congest its waters due to the vastly changing water levels and winds.”

Lake Piru has a dangerous reputation with more than two dozen people dying there since 1959. According to Ryan Dorsey’s lawsuit, there were not two floatation devices on the boat, which are required by law if the vessel is over 16 feet long. Naya Rivera did not have a floatation device on, and there was not one located on the boat, though her son had one on when authorities found him.

The lawsuit goes on to state that Naya Rivera had strong swimming skills. Josey Hollis told investigators that he saw his mom “disappear under the surface of the water” as she yelled for help. Rivera’s body was missing for five days before investigators were able to locate her. Ryan Dorsey and Rivera started dating in 2010, but broke up shorty thereafter. The two ended up getting back together in 2014, and were soon married. They officially divorced in late 2018. US Weekly was the first outlet to report on Ryan Dorsey’s wrongful death lawsuit against Ventura County.

Topics: Glee