Naya Rivera’s family are reported to have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ventura County, after their daughter died at the Lake Piru.
According to the report by Variety, Naya Rivera’s family are dragging Ventura County where the lake Naya drowned to court, on behalf of her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, who witnessed her death.
The report named those dragged into the wrongful death lawsuit by Naya Rivera’s family to include, Ventura County, United Water Conservation District and Parks and Recreation Management for neglecting to sufficiently warn Lake Piru visitors of its possible dangers and failing to outfit the boat Rivera rented with appropriate safety equipment.
In addition to wrongful death, the suit includes survival and negligent infliction of emotional distress complaints and requests a trial by jury, the report said.
The lawsuit was filed by Dorsey’s father, Ryan Dorsey, along with Rivera’s estate and her business manager.
The official complaint states that there were no signs on the lake’s property warning visitors of strong currents, low visibility or strong winds. It also alleges that the boat Rivera rented did not contain floatation devices, a ladder, rope or an anchor. The suit claims that Lake Piru has a “deadly history,” citing at least 26 other drowning deaths since its opening.
“While Naya and Josey were swimming, the boat started to be carried away — likely by the current and wind, which gusted up to 21 miles per hour that afternoon. Josey, who was closer, managed to get back on the boat by his own volition and braced himself on the boat, which was rocking back and forth forcefully in the current and wind,” attorney Amjad Khan writes in the complaint.
“Josey knew Naya was still in the water, and heard her cry, ‘Help! Help!’ in her struggle to get back to the boat and avoid drowning.
Josey searched in vain for rope to help his mother get back on the boat. Josey then looked back at the water for his mother and saw that Naya had disappeared.
Josey yelled for help and cried alone in the boat until he was found more than an hour later by a PMC boat leasing agent.”