Naya Rivera’s family has joined the ongoing search for the actress, who is presumed dead since going missing after an apparent accident on Lake Piru Wednesday (July 8).

On Saturday (July 11), the Glee alum’s mother Yolanda, father George, younger brother Mychal, ex-husband Ryan Dorsey and more family members entered the waters of the Southern California lake in hopes of recovering the 33-year-old star, who disappeared earlier this week during a boating trip with her 4-year-old son, Josey.

Images obtained by the Daily Mail captured a number of emotional moments from the day, including a distraught George out on the banks of Lake Piru with the rest of the family before he dashed into the waters alongside Mychal in an effort to find his missing daughter. Dorsey was overcome with tears as he too entered the waters after Naya, whose mother crumbled to her knees with her arms stretched out on the banks of the lake in a heartbreaking moment of desperation.

Both Yolanda and Mychal put on life vests and joined the Ventura County Sheriff’s search team, who has been scouring the lake with divers, boats, helicopters, and sonar equipment. Other photos show Dorsey in tears as he embraced another female family member, whereas Mychal and George consoled each other as they looked out onto the lake where Naya is believed to have met her demise in the waters.

The last known footage of Naya showed the actress arriving at Lake Piru with her son, who told officials that he and his mother had been swimming in the lake together but only he returned to the boat. Hours later, Josey was found sleeping alone on the boat in his life jacket. Naya’s ID, wallet, and an adult size life vest were also on the boat.

As for the recovery mission, the lake has almost zero visibility, resorting divers to search by feel, meaning it could take several days before Naya’s body is located. “We don't know if she's going to be found five minutes from now or five days from now, so we're still going to be continuing this effort,” said Eric Buschow of Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Although the conditions of the lake have made the search “difficult,” Buschow believes they will find her body.

Photo: Getty Images

About Jenny Castillo

Magic 107.7 - Orlando · The Best Variety of the 80s, 90s and Today