Naya Rivera's Family Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Naya Rivera's family has been privately settled more than a year after it was first filed.

Ryan Dorsey first filed the lawsuit -- on behalf of his and Rivera's 6-year-old son, Josey -- in November 2020, against the Ventura County, California, United Water Conservation District and Ventura County’s Parks and Recreation Management for "wrongful death and negligent infliction of emotional distress."

Attorney Amjad M. Khan, who represents Josey and Rivera's estate, released a statement to ET on Monday, sharing, "In Josey Hollis Dorsey and the Estate of Naya Rivera’s litigation relating to the drowning death of Naya Rivera on July 8, 2020, all parties have entered into a global settlement, which is subject to approval by the Ventura Superior Court on March 16."

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

On July 8, Rivera went missing in Lake Piru, located in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California, for several days. The actress and her son had decided to have a day out on the water, but he was later found alone in the boat they had rented without his mom, who was later found dead. Rivera was 33.

The lawsuit alleged that Rivera's death was preventable and that the boat that she and her son were in at Lake Piru did not comply with Coast Guard safety standards.

“[The boat] 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,” court documents, obtained by ET at the time, claimed. “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."

The lawsuit also alleged that Lake Piru did not a have signs 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."

This past January, Dorsey -- who had been married to Rivera from 2014 to 2018 --  paid tribute to the late Glee actress on what would have been her 35th birthday, and shared how proud he knows she would be of their son, in a statement to People.

"She knew how willing Josey was to share his things, but she'd be so proud to see how he'll give things he loves away to friends or donate them," Dorsey shared. "

"He has this unique literal laugh-out-LOUD cackle of laugh when he's watching TV that's kind of obnoxiously endearing like hers was, but his even more so," he continued. "No matter your mood, it would make anyone smile if you heard it."

See the video below for more on the aftermath of the tragedy.

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