Hours after officials revealed that they had found a body in Lake Piru, which is where Naya Rivera was last seen before her disappearance, Ventura County officials held a press conference about their findings. During the press conference, officials confirmed that searchers found Rivera’s body in the lake, which means that the actor has been confirmed dead at the age of 33. Rivera initially went missing on Wednesday after visiting Lake Piru with her four-year-old son Josey. When Josey was discovered alone on the boat that they had rented, authorities subsequently issued a search for the Glee actor. Josey has since been safely reunited with his father, Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey.
Sheriff Bill Ayub spoke during the press conference to share details about their investigation. He said that based on an initial medical examination that there did not appear to be any foul play involved in Rivera’s death and disappearance. A full medical examination is forthcoming. Her body was found around 9:10 a.m. local time on Monday after her body floated to the surface of the lake. Ayub also said that her son told officials that his mother helped him back onto the boat before she disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
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Before this press conference, multiple sources reported that a body was discovered at Lake Piru in Ventura County, California, which is where authorities have been searching for Rivera. TMZ reported that the body found at the lake was Rivera’s, although officials had not yet confirmed the news until now. Monday also marks the seventh anniversary of the death of Rivera’s Glee’s co-star Corey Monteith, making it a remarkably emotional day for many. Monteith died of a deadly combination of heroin and alcohol in 2013, just ahead of Glee’s fifth season.
According to her son, Rivera was swimming with Josey in the lake, but she did not get back onto the boat. While many speculated on the circumstances surrounding the situation, authorities have said that they believe that this was simply a “tragic accident.”
During an interview with PEOPLE, Ventura County Sgt. Kevin Donoghue explained that they did not believe that Rivera died by suicide, as some initially speculated. He said, “We interviewed her son, and there was nothing that we learned from her son that would have suggested that this was suicide. Everything that we’ve learned so far leads to this being some sort of water recreational accident.” Although, as for what actually happened to the actor, Donoghue said that they were unsure and that the situation was still a “mystery.”
“To say definitively what actually happened, we really can’t say. We just don’t know; it’s a mystery,” the sergeant continued. “We’re still investigating; we’re still searching. We’re trying to uncover clues as we go. But so far, we really don’t have a lot of information to make any guesses as to what could have happened.” Donoghue also shared an update regarding Josey’s well-being, saying that he has been reunited with his family, but, due to his young age, he does not fully understand what is going on at the moment. The officer said that Josey is in “good health,” and added, “Given his age, I don’t think he fully understands everything that’s going on. But his family, their family, they’re heartbroken. This is an absolute tragedy.”
