Her 4-year-old child was found alone on the boat

Naya Rivera, best-known for playing Santana Lopez in the series 'Glee', is missing after a boat trip on a lake in Southern California.

Authorities found Naya's four-year-old son Josey asleep and alone on the rented pontoon boat.

According to reports, Josey said that he'd been swimming in the water with his mother, but she did not get back into the boat.

When the boat at Lake Piru was overdue (having been rented from 1pm), staff at the lake found it with Josey on board (at 4.48pm), unharmed, but they could not find Naya.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department began their search for a presumed drowning victim.

They later tweeted: "The missing person at Lake Puru has been identified as Naya Rivera, 33, of Los Angeles. SAR operation will continue at first light."

Divers searched the lake until nightfall with no sign of the actress. The search will resume after sunrise today.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Eric Buschow told media the department will be joined by search and rescue teams from neighboring counties and will deploy divers and air units then.

 

Naya's lifejacket is reported to have still been on the boat when Josey was found.

Further reports indicate that her car was found parked close to the boat rental company with her handbag still inside.

The local Sheriff has said that "this may well be a case of drowning".

The last tweet the actress posted was of her and Josey on Tuesday with the caption "Just the two of us."