Body Found at Lake Piru is Naya Rivera's, Authorities Confirm
By: The Executive Tea Staff
Y’all, with a heavy heart we are sadly reporting that Lake Ventura police have confirmed a body found in Lake Piru belongs to Naya Rivera. Rivera went missing last Wednesday after a boating trip with her son in the Southern California lake. Authorities believe Rivera drowned. Naya was only 33 years old.
Her body, was found floating in the lake at approximately 9:10 a.m. PT, and is being taken to the Ventura County’s Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. Police confirmed that there was no reason to think Rivera’s death was a suicide.
The boat rented by Rivera was found in 30 feet deep water in the lake, with her son alone and asleep in the lake. Rivera and her son Josey were swimming in Lake Piru when something terrible happened - Rivera jumped in the water and never made it back to shore.
Naya Rivera started acting at a young age, playing the character of Hillary Winston on “Royal Family” at just 4-years-old. She later got her big break on the hit Fox show “Glee”, where she played the character Santana Lopez. Many fans have taken to social media to share memories of Rivera and the role she played in their childhood. For many, Rivera’s role as Santana on “Glee” gave other kids hope that it was OK to be bisexual.
"Honestly, I never thought I'd actually be playing a teen lesbian," Rivera said in the Los Angeles Times interview. "I didn't think it was going to go this far. But I'm glad that it did, because there have been a lot of fans who have expressed that they've been going through similar situations in their lives. I've heard from girls that are in high school, they're 16, 17, and they're like, 'I came out to my mom,' or 'I came out to my friends, and thank you for helping me do that.'
Some fans on Twitter have resurfaced a clip of Rivera singing “If I die Young” on an episode of “Glee”. In the eerie lyrics, she says to “bury her in a river”.
Rivera is sadly the third regular cast member of Glee to have died tragically and unexpectedly in the past five years.
Rest in peace to Naya Rivera.
