A body has been found in the Southern California lake where Naya Rivera, the actress known for “Glee,” disappeared, according to a tweet by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
While the body found at Lake Piru has not been identified, many are concluding its Rivera’s considering she has yet to be found. The Sheriff’s office tweeted that “Recovery is in progress,” and a news conference is scheduled for 5 p.m. to discuss the discovery.
“When you have a situation like this and it ends up being a recovery, it’s hard for everybody involved. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the family,” Buschow said in an interview with KTLA. “Hopefully this provides some level of closure, whatever that means, for the family.”
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has said that it has notified Rivera’s family and the medical examiner of the body found Monday morning, but there has been no confirmation about its identity.
The search for Rivera has been active since last Wednesday. She had reportedly gone to the lake that afternoon and rented a pontoon boat for her and her four-year-old son, who was found safely in the boat. One adult life jacket was found on deck, while her son was wearing the other. In conversation with Rivera’s son, he reportedly told investigators that the actress had simply “gone swimming.”
The area where the boat was found has water about 30 feet deep, according to authorities. During the day, visibility in the water would be about eight to 10 inches, and the bottom of the lake is said to be littered with debris and full-size trees.
The latest update was given on Thursday, when the Sheriff’s office shifted its focus from rescue to recovery and noted that they would be moving forward under the presumption that Rivera had died due to accidental drowning.
Rivera was best known for her six-year role as Santana Lopez on Fox’s “Glee” from 2009 to 2015, where she appeared in nearly every episode of the series. After the show wrapped, Rivera garnered roles on ABC’s “Devious Maids” and YouTube Red’s “Step Up: High Water.”
Update: Authorities have confirmed at the press conference on Monday that the body found in Lake Piru is that of actress Naya Rivera.
