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'Glee’ Star Naya Rivera Dead at 33, Body Found

Authorities confirm Naya Rivera's body was found dead in Lake Piru.

Former ‘Glee’ star Naya Rivera has been pronounced dead.

Authorities say the actress's body was found dead at a Southern California lake. On Thursday, July 9th, more than 100 police officers and emergency personnel, including a diving team from the region’s sheriff’s department, were searching the depths of Lake Piru for the body, as there were indications that she drowned in that place.

Authorities pointed out that Lake Piru is a man-made reservoir which means there is debris at the bottom such as trees and other objects that increase the visibility and safety problems of the rescue teams.

Rivera was declared missing on Wednesday, July 8th after the Ventura County Sheriff's Department announced that she was the person that they were searching for in the waters of Lake Piru in California.

Rivera is survived by her 4-year-old son, Josey Dorsey, who was found all alone on the pontoon where she was last seen. According to an E! News article, the search for Rivera began when the actress and her son failed to return their rental boat to the facilities after their 3-hour limit.

Rivera played Santana, a cheerleader in the hit musical-comedy “Glee” that aired from 2009 until 2015. In 2014, she married actor Ryan Dorsey, who is the father of their son, Josey, but the couple divorced in 2018 and have joint custody of the child.

This is not the first tragedy involving the “Glee” cast members. In 2018 Mark Salling committed suicide while awaiting sentencing in his child porn case, while in 2013 Cory Monteith, another star of the show, died of a heroin and alcohol overdose.