olice say it appears Naya Rivera 'mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself', after confirming the body of the Glee star was found in Lake Piru Monday.
Rivera went missing on Wednesday afternoon during a boat day with her four-year-old son Josey. He was found asleep in his life jacket on their pontoon but there was no trace of the 33-year-old.
Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said at a news conference Monday afternoon: 'She must have mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat, but not enough to save herself.'
She and her son had climbed off the boat and gone swimming. The boy told investigators that his mother helped him back aboard but when he looked back he saw her disappear into the water, Ayub said.
Earlier on Monday, the Ventura County Sheriff announced that a body had been pulled from the water.
Ayub said that while an autopsy and official identification are forthcoming, the circumstances from the location of the body to the fact that no one else has been reported missing in the lake makes the department 'confident that the body we found is Naya Rivera.'
He said there was no indication of foul play and no indication this was a suicide. Ayub confirmed an adult life jacket was on board the boat and that the body recovered was not in a life jacket. He did not have details on if Rivera was able to swim.
Ayub said swimming is allowed in the lake but that it is typically used for watercraft recreation. A petition was started Monday to ban swimming 'in these dangerous waters'.
Captain Eric Buschow confirmed on Monday afternoon that it was Rivera's body and that the family had been informed. 'This hits home for everybody involved. We're in the business of saving people... it's hard for everybody involved,' he said.
Some of Rivera's Glee castmates went to the lake on Monday morning after authorities recovered a body. They held hands on the shore while waiting for confirmation of the identity of the body
Actress Heather Morris was among those there. She appeared on Glee (right) with Rivera
Morris was comforted by a male friend at the lake as the group waited for news from the authorities
Rivera's ex husband Ryan Dorsey, right, was at the lake on Monday with her father George Rivera
Naya Rivera's mother Yolanda Rivera is seen leaving the landing jetty at Lake Piru escorted by Ventura County sheriffs
Authorities carry the body of Naya Rivera from a boat on Monday morning to be taken for formal identification
The actress's body was placed in a van to be driven away from the scene for further examination
The star's body was brought in from the lake by boat early on Monday morning. Authorities concealed it beneath orange tarp
The body is now being stored in one of the structures near to where Rivera parked her jeep on Wednesday
He added that he hoped the discovery would bring some closure to her family.
'Finding out she's missing and then this day to day, the wait and not knowing... hopefully this provides some level of closure,' he said.
The actress's family rushed to the lake on Monday morning and some of her Glee castmates, including Heather Morris, were also there.
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