Heartbreaking photo of Glee cast as Naya Rivera's body is finally found
Naya Rivera's friends, including members of the Glee cast, joined her family around Lake Piru and held hands together just before news broke that the actress’ body had been found.
The Glee actress' death had not been confirmed when the group was spotted holding hands at the lake.
Heather Morris and Amber Riley appear to be part of the group. The pair has been active on social media since Naya's disappearance with Heather even revealing that she was "trying to conduct an on foot search and rescue mission along with a small group of friends" at Lake Piru, saying that they felt "helpless" and "powerless."
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. I understand your team is doing EVERYTHING in their power, but we are feeling helpless, powerless and
— heather (@HeatherMorrisTV) July 12, 2020
She later followed up saying she has "full confidence" that all available resources were being used to locate her friend after the Ventura Sheriff's department discouraged citizens from searching the lake, citing high temperatures and dangerous terrain.
Amber took to Twitter to seemingly address fans' trolling of Lea Michele, who reportedly deactivated her Twitter account after Naya went missing.
She wrote: "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. This is very real and devastating. Focus on Naya and her family. Not us. We don’t matter right now."
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. This is very real and devastating. Focus on Naya and her family. Not us. We don’t matter right now.
— Amber Patrice Riley (@MsAmberPRiley) July 12, 2020
Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a press conference that Naya's body was found at the northeast portion of the lake, near the surface.
He added that there was nothing to indicate any foul play and that it was simply a tragic, accidental drowning.
"As you can imagine it’s been an extremely difficult time for her family throughout this ordeal as fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, our hearts are with them and we share their grief for Naya’s loss," he said.
Investigators used FaceTime calls Naya had with family members to help focus their search. They also spoke to other people who were on the water who had seen the actress.
The police department said Naya’s son, Josey, said the pair went swimming and he was helped back up on to the boat by his mum, “who boosted him on to the deck from behind”.
“He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water.”
The Sheriff said it would be speculation to say at this point how the events unfolded, however there are a lot of currents that appear on the lake, particularly in the afternoon, and they believe “perhaps the boat started drifting, it was unanchored and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back on to the boat but not enough to save herself”.
What makes this all the more heartbreaking is that Naya’s body was found on the seventh anniversary of Cory Monteith's death.
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