Naya Rivera Update: Ventura Sheriff's Department Shares Video of Low Visibility in Lake

As the search for former “Glee” actress Naya Rivera continued late into Friday, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office updated the public with details of the operation including two video clips, one demonstrating the extremely low underwater visibility of Lake Piru affecting the search, and another showing the equipment being used.

The first clip showed one of the remotely operated underwater vehicles being used to locate signs of Rivera, a floating drone with cameras on it, connected to a boat via a cable, which according to the department is being used in addition to “side scan sonar, dogs and divers.”

The second clip demonstrates how the drones are operated via a handheld controller connected to a computer, with footage displayed on an attached screen. As the drone footage shows, at a depth of 30 feet the lake is extremely muddy and objects can only be identified with clarity very close to the camera. See both clips below.

Also Read: Naya Rivera's 11 Most Memorable Roles, From 'Family Matters' to 'Glee' (Photos)

1/2 Here’s the ROV used by @TulareSheriff in the search for Naya Rivera at Lake Piru today. This is one of many resources being used, along with side scan sonar, dogs, and divers. pic.twitter.com/LkeI04HIMJ

— Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) July 11, 2020

2/2 Here’s an example of the underwater visibility at a 30-foot depth in Lake Piru. pic.twitter.com/YGNNUdmPQ4

— Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) July 11, 2020

Earlier Friday afternoon, Captain Eric Buschow said the search continued for signs of Rivera, who disappeared Wednesday during a boating trip with her son on the lake. He said that while they have found some promising objects, Rivera’s body has yet to be found. He said teams are continuing to search the north and eastern parts of the two-mile-long lake, which is 130 feet deep at its maximum depth. Cadaver dogs are also searching the top of the water. Read more about that here.

Naya Rivera currently appears in the “Step Up” series adaptation, which previously aired on YouTube Red and will air on Starz for its upcoming third season. Her other credits include “Devious Maids,” “The Bernie Mac Show” and “American Dad.”

Naya Rivera's 11 Most Memorable Roles, From 'Family Matters' to 'Glee' (Photos)

Though she's best known for the role of Santana Lopez on Fox's musical series "Glee," on which she starred from 2009 to 2015, Naya Rivera's acting career began with television roles in early 1990s. Here is a list of 11 of Rivera's most memorable roles throughout her career, from her beginnings as a child actress in the early up through her most recent role in "Step Up: High Water."
Getty
"The Royal Family" (1991-92)

Rivera's first television role was in the CBS sitcom "The Royal Family" when she was just 4 years old. She played the granddaughter of a mail carrier (Red Foxx) and his wife (Della Reese) whose grown daughter moves back home with her three kids.
CBS
"Family Matters" (1992-93)

She played another little girl named Gwendolyn in three episodes of "Family Matters." In one scene in the episode "Heart Strings," she asks Steve Urkel for love advice.
ABC
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1993)

Her next role was in one 1993 episode of "Fresh Prince" called "Bundle of Joy," playing a little girl named Cindy when she was 6 years old.
NBC
"Baywatch" (1996)

She also appeared in one 1996 episode of "Baywatch" called "Scorcher" as a girl named Willa who gets lost on the beach.
YouTube
"Even Stevens" (2002)

In 2002, Rivera appeared in one episode of this Disney Channel comedy, playing a girl who gets peeved when Shia LaBeouf's Louis gets gum stuck in her hair.
Disney Channel
"Soul Food" (2003)

She played Ahmad's girlfriend Lauryn in two 2003 episodes of this series that followed a multigenerational Black family in Chicago.
Showtime
"The Bernie Mac Show" (2002-06)

Rivera had a recurring role in this Fox sitcom, appearing in 11 episodes as a girl named Donna who befriends Mac's niece Vanessa (Camille Winbush).
Fox
"Glee" (2009-15)

Rivera's best-known role was Santana Lopez on Ryan Murphy's Fox musical series "Glee." Santana is a popular cheerleader who explores her identity as a lesbian and later falls in love with and marries her best friend, Brittany Pierce (Heather Morris).
Fox
"The View" (2014-15)

As she was wrapping work on "Glee," Rivera made six appearances as a guest co-host on the beloved ABC daytime talk show.
ABC
"Devious Maids" (2015)

She also had a recurring role as a maid named Blanca Alvarez in the third season of this Marc Cherry dramedy-mystery series.
Lifetime
"Step-Up: Highwater" (2018-19)

in this YouTube Original series, Rivera co-stars as the head of a performing arts high school in Atlanta where twins Tal and Janelle Baker have enrolled after moving from Ohio.
YouTube

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She’s been acting on television since the early 1990s

Though she's best known for the role of Santana Lopez on Fox's musical series "Glee," on which she starred from 2009 to 2015, Naya Rivera's acting career began with television roles in early 1990s. Here is a list of 11 of Rivera's most memorable roles throughout her career, from her beginnings as a child actress in the early up through her most recent role in "Step Up: High Water."

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Naya Rivera's 11 Most Memorable Roles, From 'Family Matters' to 'Glee' (Photos)

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