Demi Lovato is sending out prayers for Naya Rivera after the Glee actress was reported missing following a presumed swimming accident Wednesday. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department told CBSLA that Rivera and her 4-year-old son, Josey, rented a boat at around 1 p.m. Wednesday at Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California. About three hours later, another boater discovered the little boy in the boat by himself, wearing Rivera’s life vest. TMZ reported that Josey told authorities his mom never came back to their boat after a swim.
As the rescue search for Rivera continues, Lovato, who had a brief role on Glee as a love interest for Rivera’s Santana, shared a request for prayers on her Instagram Story. Sharing a photo of a lit candle, the singer wrote, “Please pray for [Naya Rivera] to be found safe and sound.”
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Lovato is just one of the many celebrities sending their thoughts and prayers to Rivera and her loved ones. Heather Morris, who played Brittany on Glee, wrote on her Instagram Story, “We need all the prayers we can get to bring our Naya back home to us. We need your love and light.” Harry Shum Jr., who played Mike Chang, also said on Twitter that he was “praying,” while Iqbal Theba, who played Principal Figgins, retweeted a news story about Rivera, commenting, “Oh God… mercy… please…”
Zack Teperman, who identified himself as Rivera’s former publicist, shared he was shocked by the news of her disappearance. “I still can’t believe what I’m hearing and hoping it isn’t true,” he posted on social media. “I’m just sad. Naya Rivera was one of the first people I had the honor of working with back in 2009 when I got into public relations and moved to Hollywood. One of the first people to allow me to give her advice and guide her through those crazy Glee days.”
Rivera has yet to be found, and police reportedly believe the actress to be dead, but no foul play is suspected, with authorities saying the situation is believed to be the result of a “horrible accident.” Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Buschow told CBSLA of the ongoing search, “There’s a lot of challenges in a reservoir this size, at times with visibility. I don’t have details yet as to the depth of the area where the boat was found or what conditions they’re encountering out there.”
