
Five days after she disappeared, the body of Glee star Naya Rivera was found Monday floating in the northeast corner of Lake Piru, authorities said.
Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub confirmed that the body was found floating in the lake.
The news conference has concluded. Sheriff Ayub has confirmed the body recovered at Lake Piru today was Naya Rivera. Our hearts go out to her family, friends and fans during this difficult time. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of her death.
-- Ventura Co. Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) July 13, 2020
The news follows after Rivera disappeared on Lake Piru, where her four-year-old sound was found asleep and alone on a rented boat.
She and her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, had climbed off the boat and gone swimming.
During the investigation, the boy told authorities that his mother helped him go back aboard but when he looked back, she disappeared.
Ayub said, “She must have mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself.”
Authorities say they believe Rivera drowned and that the body was stuck in “very heavy vegetation for several days” before floating to the top.
Since the discovery, Ayub said that Rivera's family has been notified.
“It has been an extremely difficult time for her family throughout this ordeal.
“We share in their grief,” the official concluded during the press conference.
For six years, Rivera played the singing cheerleader Santana Lopez in the Fox musical-comedy Glee.
She is the third major cast member from the show to die in their 30s following that of Cory Monteith in 2013 and Mark Sailing in 2018.
The day before her death, Rivera tweeted a photo of her and her son along with the caption, “just the two of us.”
just the two of us pic.twitter.com/wCunAlGJ1B
-- Naya Rivera (@NayaRivera) July 7, 2020
'Glee' star Naya Rivera left cryptic post on Instagram before going missing
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