Missing Glee star Naya Rivera's body has been found, police confirm

NZ Herald

13 Jul, 2020 08:41 PM3 mins to read

It's been confirmed that the body found in Lake Piru is that of the missing star. Photo / Getty Images

Police have confirmed that the body found in Lake Piru is that of missing Glee star Naya Rivera.

Authorities said body was found on Monday at a Southern California lake during the search for Rivera, according to the Daily Mail.

The body was discovered five days after the 33-year-old Rivera disappeared on Lake Piru, where her son was found July 8 alone on a boat the two had rented, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said.

Rivera's family rushed out to Lake Piru on Monday morning as well as some of her Glee castmates, including Heather Morris.

The cast stood on shore holding hands while waiting for more information from the family and from the authorities.

Captain Eric Buschow confirmed that the body was Rivera's and that the family had been informed.

Sergeant Kevin Donoghue spoke to media during a press conference. Photo / Getty Images

"This is an area we've been searching very hard. I don't know what the depth is, where she was found, I'll have to get more details," he said.

"We had boat crews out on the lake at first light this morning.

'This hits home for everybody involved. We're in the business of saving people... it's hard for everybody involved."

He said he hoped it would bring some closure to the family.

"Finding out she's missing and then this day to day, the wait and not knowing... hopefully this provides some level of closure."

This photo of the cast of #Glee gathering together at Lake Piru today where #NayaRivera’s body was found is incredibly powerful — especially when you consider today is the 7 year anniversary of Cory Monteith’s death. I’m a mess. pic.twitter.com/RhY9hUb78E
— Dave Quinn (@NineDaves) July 13, 2020

Rivera was found on the seventh anniversary of her former co-star Corey Monteith's death.

Her grief-stricken family were photographed on Saturday afternoon, running fully dressed into the lake and splashing water over themselves.

Police said the county's medical examiner had been called and would take the body back to their office to be officially identified and for an autopsy.