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Rivera, 33, was found in Lake Piru, near Los
Angeles, on Monday, five days after going missing on a boating
trip with her young son.
The medical examiner's report said there was no indication that
drugs or alcohol played a role in her death and no traumatic
injuries or other medical conditions.
Rivera played cheerleader Santana Lopez on the 2009-2015 TV
series about a high-school choir. Her drowning followed the drug
overdose in 2013 of actor Cory Monteith, who played footballer
Finn, and the 2018 suicide of Mark Salling (Puck) after pleading
guilty of possession of child pornography.
Rivera's body was recovered near the surface of the water, in an
area where the boat was found, that was 35 to 60 feet deep
(11-18 m) and with heavy brush and trees underwater, officials
said.
Rivera’s 4-year-old son, Josey, who was discovered alone and
sleeping on the boat, told authorities he and his mother had
both gone swimming in the lake, a recreational reservoir about
50 miles (80 km) north of downtown Los Angeles.
Sheriff's officials in charge of the search said on Monday it
was not clear what happened, but that Rivera's son had told
investigators his mother pushed him back into the boat but did
not get back in herself. Rivera was not wearing a life vest.
The creators of "Glee," Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian
Brennan, said Tuesday they were setting up a college fund for
Rivera's son.
"She was fun. She was kind. She was generous,” the three
producers said in a statement. "Naya was more than just an actor
on our show - she was our friend."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles; Editing by Sandra
Maler, Matthew Lewis and Leslie Adler)
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