Church lay leader accused of sexually assaulting his own goddaughter, and complaint accuses now-dissolved church in Big Rock of not taking action

-- A spiritual leader and trusted family friend is now accused of the unthinkable – sexually assaulting his goddaughter.

A woman who goes by Cherin Marie says the church that she loved in Big Rock, Illinois failed her — and in a new complaint filed Wednesday, the big question is what church leaders knew and when. "Very small town, very quaint, very friendly," Cherin said.Cherin talked about the importance of Mark Rivera in her family's life."Mark was a groomsman at my wedding, godfather to my children, one of our closest friends," she said.

In June 2019, Rivera was charged with sexually assaulting Cherin's then-9-year-old daughter over a span of months.Cherin said she brought the allegations to church leaders in May 2019, but was dismissed and encouraged not to report Rivera."The complaint alleges that the church, Christ Our Light, failed to protect this particular minor child from Mr. Rivera," added Cherin's attorney, Evan Smola.

"The only thing that gives me courage and strength to do this on my daughter's behalf," Cherin said."She's the brave that came forward and spoke up about this," Cherin said.

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