In a statement, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said, “On the morning of July 13, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office was notified that the body of a woman believed to be 33-year-old Naya Marie Rivera was recovered from the waters of Lake Piru in Ventura County, California. The circumstances and visual characteristics all indicated that the body was that of Naya Rivera and the identity has been confirmed by dental comparison.”

It continued, “The body has been X-rayed and a full autopsy has been performed. The autopsy findings are consistent with a drowning and the condition of the body is consistent with the time that she was submerged. No traumatic injuries or disease processes were identified at autopsy. There is no indication from the investigation or examination that drugs or alcohol played a role in the decedent’s death, but specimens will be submitted for toxicology testing.”

On Monday, Ventura County Sheriff William Ayub told the press that he was “confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera,” based on the “location of where the body was found, physical characteristics of the body, clothing found on the body and the physical condition of the body, as well as the absence of any other persons reported missing in the area.”

As for what could have happened, Ayub said, “We believe it was mid-afternoon when she went swimming, the idea being, perhaps, that the boat began drifting… and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat but not enough to save herself. [Her son Josey] described being helped into the boat by Naya, who boosted him onto the deck from behind. He looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water.”

According to Ayub, Rivera’s body was found near where she had been swimming with her son. He said, “We believe she was concealed within the shrubbery of some of the floorbed of the lake.”

Earlier that day, Some of Naya’s castmates were also seen at Lake Piru, joining hands with her family.

Captain Eric Buschow, spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, told Us Weekly, “I don’t know who is who in the cast, but there were 12 to 15 people. They were down there by the edge of the lake and prayed for about a half hour… I did not go down there and stand with them, so I don’t know what they did or said other than they had expressed a desire to go down there and have a prayer.”
Buschow continued, “As they were praying, we got a call that the body was discovered on the surface of the lake. We didn’t tell them because anytime we — in the case of a death, we don’t want people to find out from other sources or from the media. We want the family to be notified officially. We don’t want them to learn about it on the news.”