Naya Rivera’s Family Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Ventura County

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Naya Rivera over the actress’ accidental drowning has been settled.

An online court record obtained by E! News shows a settlement was filed on Feb. 24. A hearing to review the settlement is scheduled for March 16, and the judge will have to sign it.

According to a statement from their attorneys, the estate of Naya and her 6-year-old son Josey Hollis Dorsey have agreed to a global settlement, which must be approved by Ventura Superior Court.

“Through this settlement, Josey will receive just compensation for having to endure the drowning of his beloved mother at Lake Piru,” the statement read. “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.”

It was reported that an investigation was launched to find Naya after authorities discovered her son alone on a boat in the middle of Lake Piru after she went missing on July 8, 2020. After a days-long search, Naya was found dead on July 13.

According to court documents, the first cause of action claimed that “Josey has suffered substantial economic and non-economic damages as a result of Naya’s death.”

Records also show that Josey felt “serious emotional distress” due to being present at the scene when his mother drowned, which is the second cause of action in the complaint.

It was alleged in court documents that the drowning was “utterly preventable” and that the “Defendants’ negligence was a substantial factor in causing Naya’s death by drowning.”

“Given Naya’s exceptional physical fitness, relative youth, strong swimming skills, and powerful love for Josey, she surely struggled mightly to make it back to the boat and succumbed to exhaustion over at least a few minutes,” the paperwork stated at one point. “During those minutes, Naya may not have known whether Josey made it back to the boat—as, despite Defendants’ inaccurate media reports, Naya did not boost Josey back onto the boat—but she surely knew that she was dying and would not make it back to her son.”