admin Glee star Naya Rivera died from accidental drowning, officials said, while her family released a statement honoring her “everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit,” An autopsy confirmed Tuesday.
The analysis, performed the day after the 33-year-old’s body was found in a Southern California lake, exhibited no signs of traumatic injury or disease that might have contributed to the drowning, and gave no initial indication that drugs or alcohol may have played a role in her death, the Ventura County Medical Examiner stated.
Dental records were used to confirm Rivera’s identity, and routine toxicology tests will be performed for the presence of drugs and alcohol, he said in a statement.
On Monday Rivera was found in Lake Piru, five days after she disappeared while boating with her 4-year-old son, who was found asleep and alone on the boat hours later. The autopsy’s findings were all consistent with the expectations of the Sheriff’s Office, which conducted the search and investigation.
Rivera’s family members said they are “so grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for Naya, Josey and our family over the past week. While we grieve the loss of our beautiful legend, we are blessed to honor her everlasting legacy and magnetic spirit.”
They said Rivera was “an amazing talent, but was an even greater person, mother, daughter and sister … Heaven gained our sassy angel.”
The family expressed thanks to the search teams for their “commitment and unwavering effort to find Naya.”
The makers of Glee announcing that they would be creating a college fund for her son and remembering her as a joyful and immensely talented performer.
“Naya was more than just an actor on our show – she was our friend,” Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan stated on Tuesday.
“Our hearts go out to her family, especially her mom, Yolanda, who was a big part of the Glee family, and her son Josey,” said the three producers, referring to the child as “the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.” Josey is Rivera’s son with her former husband, actor Ryan Dorsey. She called the boy “my greatest success, and I will never do any better than him.”
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