California authorities announced Monday that they are “certain” that a body they found in a California lake is that of the missing actress Naya Rivera. The ad concludes an extensive search for Rivera, that started six days ago after their 4-year-old son was found alone on a pontoon, the couple had rented.
“We are certain that the body we found is that of Naya Rivera,” said Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub. The sheriff said the location of the body, its physical characteristics and clothing, and the fact that no other missing persons have been reported, make officials trust the body to be Rivera’s.
It was found in the northeast part of Piru Lake, floating near the surface, Ayub said. She added that investigators believe her body was in that area the entire time, but that the bushes had hidden it.
The body will now be taken to the medical examiner’s office, where an autopsy will be performed. There is no indication of foul play or suicide, Ayub said.
Rivera was reported missing last Wednesday. Authorities said last week that Rivera and his son rented a pontoon at approximately 1 p.m. local time and that when they did not return as expected three hours later, workers at the rental company came out to look for them.
Rivera’s son was finally found in the boat with his life jacket on. She told authorities that he and Rivera had gone swimming in the lake and said that he had returned to the boat, but she had not.
“He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear below the surface of the water,” Ayub said. There was an adult-sized life jacket in the boat, and there was no life jacket on the recovered body.
The video showed that Rivera and her son were the only people who boarded the boat. Authorities said Rivera had previously visited the lake.
By Thursday, authorities said they believed he had drowned in “what appears to be a tragic accident.”
A petition created last week calling for warning signs to be placed around the lake has received more than 32,000 signatures.
“Naya Rivera is not the first, nor the last to disappear in Piru Lake,” the petition said. “Lake Piru is a very deep lake with very bad eddies, people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers. Ventura County residents do not go to Piru Lake for this reason! Tourists they have no idea what they’re getting into. ”
Rivera, 33, was best known for her role in “Glee.” She was nominated for a Grammy in 2010 as part of the cast that sang a cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”. She also won several ALMA Awards, a People’s Choice Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, according to IMDB.
Earlier in the day, officials announced that a body had been found while searching for Rivera. “Glee” co-star Jane Lynch tweeted about that ad and wrote, “Rest, Naya. What a force you were. Love and peace for your family.”
Chris Colfer, another of Rivera’s “Glee” co-stars, also released a tribute. “She told the truth to power with aplomb and without fear,” he wrote on Instagram. “She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single comment. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being around her was both a badge of honor and armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. ”
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