The Lake Where Naya Rivera Was Boating Has a Tragic History

New details have been revealed about the tragic history of Lake Piru, the California lake where Naya Rivera went missing during a boating trip.

The 33-year-old Glee actress was boating at the lake with her four-year-old son Josey on Wednesday afternoon (July 8). He was found alone on the boat and he told authorities that his mom was swimming and never came back to the boat.

Authorities have explained why it’s possible that Naya‘s body may never be recovered. There is also a video that was released and it shows her arriving at the lake with her son.

The Los Angeles Times has previously reported on the lake’s tragic history. Back in 2000, the newspaper reported that seven people had drowned in Lake Piru between 1994 and 2000. The outlet said that “most drowning victims were swimmers venturing into restricted waters.”

The Times also reported that “park officials speculated that wind gusts and deep columns of chilly water on the lake, which is up to 160 feet deep depending on the time of year, can overtake swimmers quickly.”

Douglas West, who was the lake’s parks and recreation services manager when the article was written, said that there had been about a dozen drownings during his 23 years there.

“The only thing I can emphasize is that if swimmers are around water, they need to wear a personal flotation device whether they know how to swim or not. That will save their lives,” he said.

Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Kevin Donoghue has said that the lake has rough conditions that make it difficult to search for Naya. He said the search would be like looking for a “needle in a haystack.”

“Water searches are really difficult. Sometimes it can take several days before we find any clues or have a recovery,” he said (via People). “The surface area of the lake is large and your visibility under water is limited.”

It has also been said that Naya has been visiting the lake for years.

Ventura County Deputy Sheriff Chris Dyer said that Naya “is familiar with the lake. This might be a little sanctuary for her, especially on a Wednesday — no one’s here on a Wednesday so it’s a good day to come. She rented the boat.”