The search for Naya Rivera continues. It's been several days since the actress went missing after taking a boat ride in Lake Piru in California with her 4-year-old son, Josey, on Wednesday, July 8.
On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who was on the scene at Lake Piru, confirmed to ET that Rivera's family members were at the lake with investigators.
"We’ve been utilizing all the same resources we’ve been utilizing the last three days: cadaver dogs, sonar technology, helicopters," the spokesperson told ET. "Tulare County Sheriff has been assisting since the beginning and we have San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office [assisting too]."
As police officials continue the search, here's everything ET knows so far.
An eyewitness tells ET that they saw the former Glee star and her son arrive at Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California, around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Rivera was wearing white shorts, a white hat and carrying a large bag, the eyewitness recalls, adding that she rented a boat and was assisted by attendants getting into it with Josey.
The source notes that they saw nothing out of the ordinary when it came to Rivera and her son.
"It was a beautiful day. It was comfortable weather and there were other pontoon boats in the water and even a water skier," the eyewitness tells ET. "She looked like any other mother with her son going out to enjoy the day."
The eyewitness says they did not see Rivera or her son again that day. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office later released video of Rivera and her son arriving at Lake Piru, renting a boat and departing the dock.
After officials were notified, a search for Rivera was immediately initiated with the use of helicopters, divers and drones. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office announced late Wednesday that the search for Rivera was suspended well into the evening, and that search and rescue efforts would continue "at first light" on Thursday.
According to CBS Los Angeles, officials are now calling their search a recovery effort.
"This is considered to be a horrible accident," Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials told NBCLA, expressing that no foul play was suspected. On Thursday, during a press conference, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said that it would continue to put "forth our best foot forward to find her," adding, "We're going to do everything we can to find her."
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, an NBC Los Angeles reporter tweeted that the search had been called off for the night. The search resumed at daybreak the next day, according to a press conference.
While the search is ongoing now, Donoghue said that it won't continue indefinitely.
"Those that are responsible for managing the overall search, they may get to a point in time where they've expelled every resource, they've searched every area, the probability of detection, of finding someone in a particular area, they've exhausted," he said. "When we get to that point, that's when they would probably have to suspend the search."
"But we're not there yet," he added. Rivera's son is currently with his family.
Buschow told reporters on Friday, July 10, that they are working to give the family "closure."
"We're still continuing the search," Buschow stated. "We know everyone's concerned out there, about this case and providing some closure for her family. This is a situation that is difficult because we don't know if she will be found five minutes from now or five days from now."
"Our investigators have been in contact with the family since the beginning of this. We have a liaison with the family, working with them, and, of course, they are going through an extremely difficult time," Buschow said. "We're trying to do everything we can to provide as much resources as we can and provide some closure for them."
On Saturday, July 11, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who was on the scene at Lake Piru, confirmed to ET that Rivera's family members were at the lake with investigators. As of 2:45 p.m., the family was still there. The spokesperson could not confirm which specific family members were at the lake.
"We’ve been utilizing all the same resources we’ve been utilizing the last three days: cadaver dogs, sonar technology, helicopters," the spokesperson told ET. "Tulare County Sheriff has been assisting since the beginning and we have San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office [assisting too]."
Per the spokesperson, there has been no status change. When asked if Rivera was still presumed dead, the spokesperson replied, "That’s correct. It’s a recovery effort on our part and our hope is to obviously bring closure to the family. They are pretty devastated as you can imagine. That’s our goal, to bring that closure to them as best we can here."
Over 20,000 have signed a Change.org petition calling for warning signs at Lake Piru. "Naya Rivera is not the first, nor the last to go missing at Lake Piru. Lake Piru is a very deep lake with very bad whirlpools, people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers," writes Erin Jordan, who started the petition and lives in Ventura, California. "Locals of Ventura County don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourist have no idea what they’re getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. We’re tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs."
Rivera shares Josey with her ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey. The actress first filed for divorce from Dorsey in November of 2016 after two years of marriage, but their divorce wasn't finalized until June 2018.
In a 2016 interview with ET, Rivera opened up about how motherhood had become her No. 1 priority.
"I'm a mom now, and what I love more than acting is being Josey's mom. So, I want to be here for him. And I don't want to miss anything," she said at the time. "I'm going to navigate the right way to do that."
On July 2, Rivera tweeted, "No matter the year, circumstance, or strifes everyday you're alive is a blessing. make the most of today and every day you are given. tomorrow is not promised."
Rivera played cheerleader Santana Lopez on Glee, which ran on Fox from 2009 until 2015. Two main cast members from the beloved show have died. In 2013, actor Cory Monteith -- who played lovable football player Finn Hudson -- died of a drug overdose. He was 31 years old.
In 2018, Mark Salling -- who played football player "Puck" on the show and whom Rivera once dated -- was found dead while awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. He was 35 years old.
On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who was on the scene at Lake Piru, confirmed to ET that Rivera's family members were at the lake with investigators.
"We’ve been utilizing all the same resources we’ve been utilizing the last three days: cadaver dogs, sonar technology, helicopters," the spokesperson told ET. "Tulare County Sheriff has been assisting since the beginning and we have San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office [assisting too]."
As police officials continue the search, here's everything ET knows so far.
An eyewitness tells ET that they saw the former Glee star and her son arrive at Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California, around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Rivera was wearing white shorts, a white hat and carrying a large bag, the eyewitness recalls, adding that she rented a boat and was assisted by attendants getting into it with Josey.
The source notes that they saw nothing out of the ordinary when it came to Rivera and her son.
"It was a beautiful day. It was comfortable weather and there were other pontoon boats in the water and even a water skier," the eyewitness tells ET. "She looked like any other mother with her son going out to enjoy the day."
The eyewitness says they did not see Rivera or her son again that day. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office later released video of Rivera and her son arriving at Lake Piru, renting a boat and departing the dock.
After officials were notified, a search for Rivera was immediately initiated with the use of helicopters, divers and drones. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office announced late Wednesday that the search for Rivera was suspended well into the evening, and that search and rescue efforts would continue "at first light" on Thursday.
According to CBS Los Angeles, officials are now calling their search a recovery effort.
"This is considered to be a horrible accident," Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials told NBCLA, expressing that no foul play was suspected. On Thursday, during a press conference, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said that it would continue to put "forth our best foot forward to find her," adding, "We're going to do everything we can to find her."
Shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, an NBC Los Angeles reporter tweeted that the search had been called off for the night. The search resumed at daybreak the next day, according to a press conference.
While the search is ongoing now, Donoghue said that it won't continue indefinitely.
"Those that are responsible for managing the overall search, they may get to a point in time where they've expelled every resource, they've searched every area, the probability of detection, of finding someone in a particular area, they've exhausted," he said. "When we get to that point, that's when they would probably have to suspend the search."
"But we're not there yet," he added. Rivera's son is currently with his family.
Buschow told reporters on Friday, July 10, that they are working to give the family "closure."
"We're still continuing the search," Buschow stated. "We know everyone's concerned out there, about this case and providing some closure for her family. This is a situation that is difficult because we don't know if she will be found five minutes from now or five days from now."
"Our investigators have been in contact with the family since the beginning of this. We have a liaison with the family, working with them, and, of course, they are going through an extremely difficult time," Buschow said. "We're trying to do everything we can to provide as much resources as we can and provide some closure for them."
On Saturday, July 11, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, who was on the scene at Lake Piru, confirmed to ET that Rivera's family members were at the lake with investigators. As of 2:45 p.m., the family was still there. The spokesperson could not confirm which specific family members were at the lake.
"We’ve been utilizing all the same resources we’ve been utilizing the last three days: cadaver dogs, sonar technology, helicopters," the spokesperson told ET. "Tulare County Sheriff has been assisting since the beginning and we have San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office [assisting too]."
Per the spokesperson, there has been no status change. When asked if Rivera was still presumed dead, the spokesperson replied, "That’s correct. It’s a recovery effort on our part and our hope is to obviously bring closure to the family. They are pretty devastated as you can imagine. That’s our goal, to bring that closure to them as best we can here."
Over 20,000 have signed a Change.org petition calling for warning signs at Lake Piru. "Naya Rivera is not the first, nor the last to go missing at Lake Piru. Lake Piru is a very deep lake with very bad whirlpools, people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers," writes Erin Jordan, who started the petition and lives in Ventura, California. "Locals of Ventura County don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourist have no idea what they’re getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. We’re tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs."
Rivera shares Josey with her ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey. The actress first filed for divorce from Dorsey in November of 2016 after two years of marriage, but their divorce wasn't finalized until June 2018.
In a 2016 interview with ET, Rivera opened up about how motherhood had become her No. 1 priority.
"I'm a mom now, and what I love more than acting is being Josey's mom. So, I want to be here for him. And I don't want to miss anything," she said at the time. "I'm going to navigate the right way to do that."
On July 2, Rivera tweeted, "No matter the year, circumstance, or strifes everyday you're alive is a blessing. make the most of today and every day you are given. tomorrow is not promised."
Rivera played cheerleader Santana Lopez on Glee, which ran on Fox from 2009 until 2015. Two main cast members from the beloved show have died. In 2013, actor Cory Monteith -- who played lovable football player Finn Hudson -- died of a drug overdose. He was 31 years old.
In 2018, Mark Salling -- who played football player "Puck" on the show and whom Rivera once dated -- was found dead while awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. He was 35 years old.
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