After an extensive search, we unfortunately have very sad news to report: Naya Rivera’s body has been reportedly found in Lake Piru, California. The beloved Glee actress was 33 years old.
TMZ adds more details:
Ventura County officials said Monday that a body had been found at the lake, and our law enforcement sources have confirmed it is, in fact, her. A press conference sharing the news publicly is forthcoming.
As we reported ... Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, were swimming in Lake Piru when something terrible happened Wednesday. Josey got back in the boat and when authorities arrived for a check, he told them he and his mom were swimming and he didn’t know what happened to her.
“A body has been found at Lake Piru this morning. The recovery is in progress. There will be a news conference at 2 pm at the lake,” Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a tweet on Monday.
Born on January 12, 1987, Rivera first made a name for herself as a child actress, appearing in TV shows such as Family Matters, The Royal Family and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Making her big break with the hit show Glee, Rivera was also a model and singer. She released a single, “Sorry” in 2013 with Big Sean, who she was previously engaged to before they ended the relationship. She married Ryan Dorsey in 2014, divorced in 2018 and the two share custody of their son, Josey. Rivera was born of African-American, German and Puerto Rican descent.
Rivera disappeared on July 8, resulting in a thorough search by volunteer rescuers. Her family also joined in to attempt to save her.
As the search went on, concerned local Erin Jordan created a petition urging officials to post warning signs of Lake Piru’s known dangerous conditions, which includes heavy rip currents.
Many fans and peers alike took to social media, including longtime friend Tahj Mowry, who wrote an especially heartfelt letter about the young star, noting that he “never stopped loving” her.
“My sweet Naya - to say that I am devastated would be an understatement. This is a nightmare. Everyday gets harder,” Mowry wrote over the weekend.
Rest in power, Naya.
This story is developing.
Update: 07/13/2020, 5:45 p.m. ET: The Ventura County Sheriff confirmed in a press conference on Monday afternoon local time that the body found in Lake Piru is Naya Rivera.
“We are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera,” he said.