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Naya Rivera yelled 'help' before disappearing into water, her son told investigators

A small number of prescribed amphetamines in her system were reportedly found but the report did not identify physical conditions or drugs as reasons for her death

It has been a time of mourning for Fox's 'Glee' star Naya Rivera’s fans as an autopsy report released on September 12 showed that the actress shouted for help before drowning in water in the July 8 fatal incident. Rivera raised her arm and called for help as she accidentally drowned while boating with her 4-year-old son on a lake in California, as per Ventura County Medical Examiner's autopsy report. AP cited the autopsy report and stated that Rivera helped her son get on the boat where the boy "noticed the decedent (Rivera) put her arm up in the air and yelled 'help'." Moments later "the decedent then disappeared into the water". 

Authorities had previously stated that Rivera had accidentally drowned after putting her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, back on the boat at Lake Piru northwest of Los Angeles on July 8, but had not mentioned her shouting for help. Rivera “knew how to swim well", the autopsy report stated. The man who rented her the pontoon boat said that she declined a life vest but he put one aboard anyway. AP reported that 33-year-old Rivera had previous health issues. This included vertigo and a recent sinus infection. Also, a small number of prescribed amphetamines in her system were reportedly found. However, the report did not identify physical conditions or drugs as reasons for her death.

On her medical condition, AP reported that toxicology tests showed the actress had small, therapeutic amounts of the anti-anxiety drug diazepam and the appetite suppressant phentermine in her system. As per AP, Rivera’s son Josey, with her former husband and actor Ryan Dorsey, was found sleeping and alone on the drifting boat later that afternoon when the incident occurred. Five days later, her body was found floating in an area of the Piru lake which is nearly 30 feet deep. 

It is startling to know that Rivera’s death was the third death of a major cast member of 'Glee'. Rivera was cast in from 2009 to 2015 where she played a lesbian cheerleader. The other two deaths were of her co-stars Cory Monteith, who died from a toxic mix of alcohol and heroin in 2013, and Mark Salling, who killed himself in 2018 after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

After the news of Rivera’s autopsy report dropped, internet was buzzing with bizarre theories which suggested that her death was shrouded in mystery. Some asked why her 4-year-old son could not help. Others alleged maybe she killed herself. A user wrote, "Why couldn’t her 4-year-old son help after he was safe?" One wondered, "4 year olds can’t use a cell phone to dial 9-1-1? Why was she in the water without a life vest? Why would she go into the water if there was no way out?" Another said, "Her phone could've had a PIN or fingerprint lock. People overestimate how good they are at swimming. The boat had started to drift, she swam after it with her son. It was previously reported from his statement that it took her last bit of energy to get him aboard."

Many people were disgusted by how the media is sensationalizing details about her death. Some felt that maybe the medication affected her thinking. Others refused to believe this and instead called her a "hero" for saving her son.

Many users said that they do not see the incident as a suicide. In her support, a fan wrote, "She Josey hero, she is my hero and she was many other people's hero. Naya was an amazing person and to the people that say she was on drugs and she was drunk when she die F**K YOU She had ONE damn white claw. It was prescribed medication and she had one coffee so F**K YOU." A user wrote, "So disgusted by how the media is sensationalizing details (ex. presence of therapeutic levels of prescription drugs, non-impaired BAC) of Naya Rivera’s autopsy report to create headlines. It’s sickening how easy it is to manipulate the narrative. Sending extra love to her family."

One fan wrote, "These details don't change the outcome of Naya Rivera's fate. I don't believe her death was a suicide, & I hope ppl don't use this report 2 justify promoting conspiracy theories." On her medication, a user wrote, "Hearing that #Nayarivera had recently been put on Adderall & that she never intended to go swimming that day but had originally planned to bbq at the lake.. left the charcoal in the car.. took the food on the boat.. makes me think that maybe the medication affected her thinking." 

MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) cannot confirm them independently and nor does it support these claims being made on the Internet.