Glee star Naya Rivera is feared dead after she vanished on a lake where her son was found asleep and alone on a boat yesterday.
A frantic search operation was launched after her four-year-old son, Josey Dorsey, was found alone on a rented boat at Lake Piru, California.
The 33-year-old actress had rented the boat at around 1pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Her son was then discovered on his own just before 5pm and according to reports, the youngster told cops his mum had “jumped into the water but didn’t come back up”.
The alarm was raised and a search operation launched using helicopters, drones and dive teams, police said.
The search had to be put on hold as night fell and is set to resume “at first light” today.
Naya Rivera is feared dead after her son was found alone on a boat in a lake (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Authorities in the area believe Naya to be “presumed drowned”.
Reports suggest that while Josey was wearing a lifejacket, Naya was not.
Naya’s black Mercedes G Wagon has since been found in a car park close to the rental company.
Ventura County Sheriff tweeted: “The missing person at Lake Puru has been identified as Naya Rivera, 33, of Los Angeles. SAR operation will continue at first light.”
Officials in Southern California believe Naya has drowned (Image: KCal9)
The actress’ heartbreaking last Twitter post was a sweet photograph of her planting a kiss on her son, alongside the caption: “Just the two of us.”
Captain Eric Buschow, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters: “They were seen going out on the lake together in the early afternoon, and approximately three hours after they left the dock another boater out on the lake discovered the boat drifting with the [son] on board asleep.
“So they contacted the rangers and began an investigation and we’ve been actively searching for the mother since that time. We have both aerial search going on and our dive team as well.
“Indications are that we believe she did go in the lake. At this point it’s still a search and that’s what we know up to this point.
Naya’s last tweet was a picture of her and her son, Josey
“The [son] said that she had been swimming with her mother and that she got back in the boat and her mum didn’t.
“We know that the girl had a life vest on, there was another adult life vest found on the boat. It’s somewhat challenging interviewing a three-year-old.
“We’re going on the belief that she did go in the water, and we’ve not been able to locate her. This may well be a case of drowning.
Naya was married to actor Ryan Dorsey but the couple divorced in 2018 (Image: WireImage)
“This is a big reservoir, it’s deep, these kinds of things happen. We don’t know all the circumstances. Investigators are working on that, getting as much information as possible.”
Fans have since taken to social media to share their heartbreak after hearing the news.
“I pray Naya Rivera is reunited with her son,” penned one fan.
While a second added: “I hope Naya Rivera is okay and that she will return to her cute son safe and sound asap.”
Naya’s black Mercedes G Wagon was discovered in a car park close to the rental store (Image: Fox 11)
A third went on to say: “Naya Rivera and her son are in my thoughts I am so heartbroken.”
It’s believed that her son is now with family members including dad Ryan Dorsey, who Naya divorced in 2018.
Naya catapulted to fame in 2009 as Santana Lopez, a cheerleader on Fox’s show Glee.
She has since gone on to release her own solo music as well as starring in Devious Maids.
Naya played Santana Lopez in the hit TV show (Image: Fox)
The actress released her memoir, Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up in 2016.
Rivera was engaged to the rapper Big Sean in October 2013 but they ended their relationship in April 2014.
She then began dating actor Ryan and they got married in Mexico in July that year before welcoming their son Josey in September 2015.
She was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery of Ryan in 2017 before the charges were dropped in 2018.
The couple divorced in June the same year.
Daily Star Online has approached a representative for Naya for comment.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
