Naya Rivera’s family was allowed to continue seeking punitive damages in their lawsuit against the Ventura County Parks and Recreation, as the judge in the case agreed there might have been “despicable conduct” from officials. The late Glee actress was reported missing on July 8, 2020, after her son Josey was found alone in a rented boat at Like Piru in Ventura County, California. Her remains were found on July 13, and her death was ruled an accidental drowning. In November 2020, her ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Josey.
In new legal documents obtained by The Blast on Thursday, the Ventura Parks and Recreation was trying to limit the number of damages the Rivera family could be awarded if they are found at least partially responsible for the actress’ death. The judge in the case denied the request and went further by listing some of the allegations made against officials. These include failing to make sure Rivera wore her life vest while out on the water and failing to make sure there was a floatation device on the boat.
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“The allegations of specific statutory violations regarding safety equipment and noncompliance with the conditional use permit regarding signage, as well as allegations that defendant knew of the dangers of the lake, and had received complaints from other patrons, that over two dozen individuals had died in the lake, that Parks and Recreation failed to instruct Ms. Rivera to wear her life vest, failed to outfit the boat with a flotation device, and failed to outfit the boat with an anchor which could have prevented Ms.Rivera from being separated from her boat and ultimately drowning,” the judge wrote. The judge added that the allegations are “sufficient” to show “despicable conduct” and a “willful and conscious disregard of the rights and safety of others.”
In their response to the allegations, Ventura county officials have said in the past that Rivera decided on her own not to wear her life vest. “Ms. Rivera was offered a life vest by Parks Management Company’s boat rental agent, which Ms. Rivera declined to wear, after which the rental agent ‘put the vest in the rental boat,’” officials claimed in their filing. “Regardless of whether the (The Family) alleges that the boat was not equipped with flotation devices, a life vest was present in the boat at the time of the incident.”
In the original complaint, Dorsey argued that Rivera’s death was “utterly preventable” and noted that Rivera’s rented boat did not have many of the necessary safety features. “Disturbingly, later inspection revealed that the boat was not even equipped with any flotation or lifesaving devices, in direct violation of California law, which requires that all pontoons longer than 16 feet be equipped with flotation devices,” Dorsey’s November filing read.
Rivera drowned after she got separated from her boat while swimming. Josey was found asleep in the boat hours later. Rovera, who starred as Santana Lopez on Glee, was 33. Lake Piru, a reservoir in Los Padres National Forest, is known for being a dangerous place to swim. Over two dozen people have drowned there since 1959.
