“Glee” actress Naya Rivera has died, she was 33. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed at a press conference on Monday that her body was identified at Lake Piru in Ventura County.
Rivera was first identified as a missing person involved in a possible drowning at Lake Piru on July 8th. Rivera’s four-year-old son was found alone in their rented boat. A search and rescue operation continued for five more days amid low water visibility and numerous obstacles on the lake bottom.
Sheriff Bill Ayub says there is no indication of either suicide or foul play: “He and Naya swam in the lake together. It was during that time that her son described being helped onto the boat by Naya… He told investigators he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water…. we believe that she mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself.”
Rivera starred in all six seasons of “Glee” and received several nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Grammys and Teen Choice Awards. She also had a semi-recurring role on FOX’s “The Bernie Mac Show,” and roles in “Devious Maids” and “Step Up: High Water”.
The news comes exactly seven years after her former “Glee” co-star Corey Monteith was found dead from an accidental overdose. Their co-star Mark Salling died by suicide in 2015. Members from the cast of “Glee” were photographed by Los Angeles news stations holding hands on the shore of the water about an hour before Ventura County Sheriffs confirmed Rivera’s death.
This photo of the cast of #Glee gathering together at Lake Piru today where #NayaRivera’s body was found is incredibly powerful — especially when you consider today is the 7 year anniversary of Cory Monteith’s death. I’m a mess. pic.twitter.com/RhY9hUb78E
— Dave Quinn (@NineDaves) July 13, 2020
Source: Variety
