A body has been found in Lake Piru amid the search for Glee star Naya Rivera, who disappeared last week during a boatride with her son in the lake in Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California.
Naya was reported missing on Wednesday (July 8) after another boater discovered four-year-old Josey sleeping alone in the boat they rented. Search and rescue teams comprised of helicopters, boat crews, drones and divers immediately began to search for the 33-year-old actress. The child said they went swimming, but his mother never got back on the boat.
By Thursday (July 9) morning, a report from the Sheriff’s office noted that the search and rescue mission has become into a recovery mission – Naya is presumed to have drowned while swimming in the lake.
“If the body is entangled in something underneath the water it may never come up,” Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said in a press conference Thursday (July 9). “We don’t know.”
“There’s a lot of trees and plants and such that are under the water that can cause entanglement. Makes it unsafe for divers and a complicated search,” he further explained.
The search continued with side-scanning sonar, divers, sniffer dogs, helicopters and remote-operated submarine vehicles equipped with cameras.
It’s now five days into the search, and ABC7 reports that a body was found during a search at a Ventura County. Recovery is currently in progress, and a news conference will be held at 2PM on Monday (July 13).
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Several celebrities and fans alike have taken to social media with messages of support for Naya’s family and to ask for prayers for the actress amid the search for the actress. However, some of Naya’s Glee co-stars faced backlash for appearing to not even acknowledge her disappearance on social media.
When one Twitter user wrote, “I haven’t seen not one of the GLEE CAST MEMBERS POST ABT NAYA EXCEPT FOR @HeatherMorrisTV AND @dotmariejones y’all a need to do better @LeaMichele @JennaUshkowitz @chriscolfer,” Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, and more, spoke out about why they chose not to say anything on the matter.
“Show some respect. All our energy is going toward helping find Naya and praying for her safe return and for her family. No one owes anyone online a performance of grief,” Amber responded. “This is very real and devastating. Focus on Naya and her family. Not us. We don’t matter right now.”
“I cannot begin to understand what Naya’s family must be feeling. I know the rest of us are completely shattered, but not without hope. Please respect her family & their privacy in this moment. Please refrain from judging those who don’t show their pain on social media. ♥️,” Kevin echoed Amber’s sentiments.
Some fans also defended Chris Colfer, who had previously talked about personally mourning another Glee co-star, Cory Monteith, who they lost some seven years back.
“@chriscolfer already talked about this years ago but it looks like they have to keep reminding it :)))” one fan tweeted, sharing a video of Chris’ interview talking about the “unnerving” experience of being told by others how to mourn.
Lea Michele, however, has deactivated her Twitter account over the weekend. The 33-year-old actress, who is expecting her first child with husband Zandy Reich, reportedly “received an onslaught of tweets” from fans urging her to comment on Naya’s disappearance. In May, Lea also faced backlash after Samantha Marie Ware, who joined the cast of Glee in Season 6, alleged that Lea made her time on the set of the show a “living hell.”
Heather Morrison, who played Brittany S. Pierce on the show, on the other hand, has expressed that she wanted take a more active role in the search.
“My name is Heather Morris, I’m Nayas close friend and co-worker, and I’m trying to conduct an on foot search and rescue mission along with a small group of friends at Lake Piru,” tweeted in response to an update from the VC Sheriff’s Office on the platform.
“I understand your team is doing EVERYTHING in their power, but we are feeling helpless, powerless and want to help in any way,” the actress continued. “I have left a message with the department of Rescue and Air today, and I will call again tomorrow. Thank you.”
