Tributes Pour In As Body Found At Lake Piru Is Confirmed To Be ‘Glee’ Star Naya Rivera
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Glee actress Naya Rivera went missing last week after she went on a boat trip with her four-year-old son Josey at Lake Piru in California. He was found sleeping in the boat after Naya failed to return the rental on time. She was nowhere to be found, sparking a search for the actress and a strong social media response before authorities confirmed they found her body in the lake during a press conference on Monday.
Naya Rivera Is Dead After Boating Trip At Lake Piru With Son
Josey, whom Naya shared with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, told authorities he went for a swim with his mother but she never returned to the boat. He was found wearing his life jacket but there is said to have been another life jacket inside of the boat. He has since been reunited with his father as the search for Naya continued. This sparked a search of the lake by Ventura County officials as fans and her family sought answers about her abrupt disappearance. They announced they were using underwater footage along with a rescue dive team and a helicopter with a drone to find her body because visibility in the water is so poor.
Rescue efforts have been ongoing for five days before her body was found in a Northeastern portion of the lake with a depth of 35-60 feet deep. Authorities said in the press conference that there was heavy brush beneath the surface where she was found. There was no indication of foul play. It was also mentioned that after a swim, Josey was given a boost by Naya to get back into the boat but when he turned around, his mom had disappeared. There were three other rental boats on the lake that day that confirmed Naya was out at specific locations on the lake at different times that allowed teams to focus their search. It also was mentioned that the lake is known for having strong currents so she may have mustered the energy to get her son back on the boat but could not save herself.
SEE ALSO: CHILLING LAST INSTAGRAM POST BEFORE ‘GLEE’ STAR Naya Rivera WENT MISSING ON BOAT TRIP WITH SON
This Comes On The 7 Year Death Anniversary Of Cory Monteith
Naya first landed the role of Hillary Winston on The Royal Family and truly was a breakout star. She went on to play the role of Santana Lopez on the hit Fox show Glee for six seasons. She grew a tremendous friendship with actor Cory Monteith who played the lead character on the show before tragically passing away from an overdose at the age of 31 in 2013. News of his death was announced exactly seven years ago to the day that Naya’s body was found. Glee fans are absolutely heartbroken that the cast has lost such a beloved member. Some actors and actresses from the show joined Naya’s family at the lake as they prayed she would be found. The following photo was put side by side to the tribute they gave Cory after his death. Noticeably, Glee stars Heather Morris and Amber Riley were present at the lake.
This led to both #NayaRivera and #7yearswithoutCory to trend on Twitter as more information continues to develop surrounding her tragic death.
Other’s shared Naya’s tribute to Cory on the show singing the song “If I Die Young” which was an emotional and hearfelt performance that will never be forgotten.
Our hearts go out to the family of Naya Rivera and of course to her adoring fans that grew up watching the Glee star showcase Latina representation on such a popular television show.
