Glee actress Naya Rivera is missing and presumed to be dead after her 4-year old son was found alone on a boat at Lake Piru in Ventura County, CA.
According to Captain Eric Buschow, deputies received a call around 6 p.m. saying a boat was found drifting on the lake with a child sleeping in it. The captain estimated that the young boy was alone on the boat for about 3 hours before a good Samaritan found him.
A search and rescue dive team has been searching the lake but haven’t been able to locate his mom — who authorities later identified as 33-year old Naya Rivera.
The missing person at Lake Puru has been identified as Naya Rivera, 33, of Los Angeles. SAR operation will continue at first light. @VCAirUnit @fillmoresheriff @Cal_OES pic.twitter.com/bC3qaZS3Ra
— Ventura Co. Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) July 9, 2020
“There’s no evidence of foul play at this point,” Buschow said. “This may well be a case of drowning.”
The child was placed in the custody of family members.
Rivera came to the lake around 1 p.m. and rented a boat with her son. About three hours after they left the dock, the other boater found the child.
The boy said he had been swimming with his mother and he got back in the boat but she didn’t, the department said. He was wearing a life jacket when he was found, and another adult life vest was found on the boat.
Authorities have been searching for his mother ever since. Dive operations were suspended after nightfall and would resume in the morning.
Hoping for a positive outcome. We’ll keep you all posted as the story develops.
Here’s more from CBS Los Angeles. (Note: Buschow originally thought the child was a 3-year old girl.)
