Naya Rivera, who drowned last week in California’s Lake Piru, may have spent her final minutes alive ensuring her son’s safety, according to People.

After a five-day search, the corpse, was recovered by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department on Monday morning. The actress went missing on Wednesday, July 8, after renting a pontoon boat with her 4-year-old son, Josey, on California’s Lake Piru.

Her son was found sleeping alone on the boat. One life jacket was found, and the youngster was wearing the other. He told officials that he and his mother went swimming together, but she never came back. Authorities thought Naya drowned after they scoured the lake and adjacent surroundings for several hours on Thursday; nonetheless, the search continued for days.

Rivera shared a selfie of herself and her kid on social media before she vanished.

On Monday morning, a corpse was discovered in Lake Piru, assumed to be that of the Glee actress, with the body being identified later that day.

“We know from speaking with her son, that he and Naya swam in the lake together at some point during their journey. It was during that time that her son described being helped into the boat by Naya, who boosted him onto the deck from behind,” said Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub at yesterday’s press conference. “He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water.”

Rivera drowned accidentally, Ayub suspects, and her corpse was most likely stuck in the foliage beneath the lake for many days before rising to the surface, according to the Associated Press.

FREDERIC J. BROWN
GETTY IMAGES

Lake Piru, according to the sheriff, has strong currents throughout the day. “There are a lot of currents on the lake that appear particularly in the afternoon,” Ayub said. “The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting, it was unanchored, and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself.”

Rivera’s family has been “in direct contact” with the sheriff’s department.

“Her family has been at the lake everyday holding out hope and communicating with our investigators,” Ayub added.

Despite the fact that no foul play has been suspected since the start of the search for Naya’s corpse and inquiry into the event, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that an autopsy would be done to identify the cause of death.

Although swimming is permitted in Lake Piru, the body of water has seen a number of drownings throughout the years. In the Glee star’s honor, a petition has been started calling for warning signs to be installed at the lake location.

Rivera’s death comes seven years after his “Glee” co-star Cory Monteith died of a heroin overdose. On Monday, many cast members from the Fox drama, which concluded in 2015, reassembled in Lake Piru to mourn her.

The actress is best recognized for her role as Santana Lopez on the Fox sitcom, which premiered in 2009 and soon gained critical praise. She starred in almost every episode of the renowned musical-comedy-drama, which aired from 2005 to 2015.