Naya Rivera, a Star on Glee and previously engaged to US rapper Big Sean has gone missing and feared drowned at a California lake.
Local authorities started a search party for Rivera after her 4-year-old son was found floating alone in a rented boat on Lake Piru, northwest of Los Angeles, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Rivera, 33, was identified as the missing person on Wednesday night by the Ventura County sheriff’s department, saying a search and rescue operation was underway. Rescuers to continue a search for her on Thursday, local officials said.
She rented a boat on Wednesday and took her four-year-old son onto Lake Piru, a spokesman for Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed but three hours later another boater raised the alarm after seeing the vessel drifting and the child “asleep and with his life vest on,” Eric Buschow told AFP. “The search is suspended until the morning and it will resume at daybreak”.
Rivera put up a photo of her and her son on Twitter Wednesday, alongside the phrase: “Just the two of us.” Hundreds have left comments below the post, many offering their prayers.
Rivera is best known for her role as Santana Lopez on the Fox series “Glee,” playing the character from 2009 until 2015. After her breakout role on the musical series, she went on to appear in “Devious Maids” and “Step Up: High Water.” As part of the “Glee” cast, she received several nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Grammys and Teen Choice Awards.
Rivera and the boy’s father, actor Ryan Dorsey, divorced in 2018 and share custody of the child, according to the TMZ outlet.
Rivera began dating artist Big Sean in April 2013, becoming engaged in October 2013 but ending the relationship six months later.
Fellow “Glee” actor, Mark Salling, took his own life in 2018 weeks, before being sentenced for possession of child pornography.
Another actor on the hit series, Canadian Cory Monteith, died in July 2013 of an overdose of drugs and alcohol.