The Ventura County medical examiner has released the cause of death of actress Naya Rivera.
According to a Tuesday news release, California officials determined the cause of death was drowning and the manner of death was accidental.
On Monday afternoon, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said officials had identified and located Rivera's body, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Based on the location where the body was found, the physical characteristics of the body, the 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, we are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera,” Ayub said.
Capt. Eric Buschow of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said search teams found Rivera’s body floating in the northeastern part of the lake. It may have floated to the surface after being submerged and covered by brush and trees as high as 20 feet growing on the lake bed.
Police theorize that, based on information from her 4-year-old son Josey, Rivera was out for a swim with Josey when they may have gotten caught in a strong current.
“The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting — it was unanchored — and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back on the boat but not enough to save herself,” Ayub said.
Rivera was 33 years old.
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