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Death of 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera ruled accidental drowning as tributes paid

  (Agence France-Presse)
Los Angeles, United States
Wed, July 15, 2020 Published on Jul. 15, 2020 Published on 2020-07-15T09:06:48+07:00

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Death of 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera ruled accidental drowning as tributes paid In this file photo taken on February 2, 2019 US actress Naya Rivera and son Josey Hollis Dorsey arrive for the premiere of 'The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part' at the Regency Village theater in Westwood, California. (AFP/Chris Delmas)

T

he death of "Glee" actress Naya Rivera in a California lake last week was ruled an accidental drowning by medical examiners Tuesday.

Rivera, 33, disappeared during a boating trip with her four-year-old son last Wednesday, and her body was found floating in Lake Piru on Monday.

The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office formally confirmed Rivera's identity using dental records, it said in a statement.

No traumatic injuries or evidence of alcohol or other toxins were found.

On Monday, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said there was no indication of suicide, and suggested that the lake's strong currents could have caused a fatal accident.

"The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting -- it was unanchored -- and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself," he said.

Her son was found asleep and drifting in the boat some three hours after Rivera rented it at the popular recreational hotspot around an hour's drive northwest of Los Angeles.

Hollywood stars paid tributes to Rivera, including her former castmates on smash-hit musical television series "Glee," some of whom gathered at the shore of the lake on Monday.

Chris Colfer said Rivera "spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness," while Jane Lynch wrote on Instagram: "Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were."

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarize a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone? If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can’t. Her brilliance and humor were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly. She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness. She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honor and a suit of armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be. 💔 Sending all my love to her wonderful family and her beautiful son.

A post shared by Chris Colfer (@chriscolfer) on

Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis wrote: "Prayers for Naya Rivera's family. Man... can we have a 'Do Over' of 2020. The loss is too much."

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Prayers for Naya Rivera's family. Man....can we have a "Do Over " of 2020. The loss is too much 💔💔🙏🏿

A post shared by VIOLA DAVIS (@violadavis) on

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