Published 17:08 IST, July 14th 2020
Lake Piru, Naya Rivera's drowning site, has witnessed numerous tragedies since 90s
After Rivera’s disappearance, social media users highlighted the multiple drownings in Lake Piru in the past and no warning signs put up by the authorities.
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Glee star Naya Rivera’s body was found in a Southern California lake on July 13, five days after she went missing while boating with her son in Lake Piru. After Rivera’s disappearance on July 8, social media users highlighted multiple drownings in Lake Piru in the past and no warning signs put up by the authorities.
A Twitter user detailed how she lost a young family member in the lake years ago when the victim got dragged by a sudden whirlpool. She urged everyone never to enter Lake Piru to swim, adding her family members have been asking authorities to put a warning sign for visitors. The user also posted a screenshot of a news story from 2009 to let people know that she wasn’t making it up.
Please never come to lake piru to swim!! I lost my prima at an extremely young age while she went out for a swim when a sudden whirlpool dragged her 6 feet under. For years our family has been asking to have signs be put up warning visitors about these waters. https://t.co/pIubC74Mhk
— Spooky Spice🕷🧟♀️ BLM (@skelingtonn) July 9, 2020
Lake Piru has reported several drownings starting from 1994 when a 27-year-old drowned in the lake even though he was wearing a life jacket, according to LA Times. Three years later, a man drowned in the lake while trying to rescue his daughter and his body was discovered several days later. The lake has reported at least 11 drowning incidents in the past 25 years.
Another user pointed out that the word ‘Piru’ is associated with 'devil' in Finnish and Spanish. Several users backed the claim of Lake Piru being dangerous for swimming. Check out some of the replies:
The fact that Piru means "The Devil" in Finnish is eerie😥
— Ansku (@kahvilaama) July 9, 2020
I grew up here too (Fillmore technically) but yes Lake Piru is definitely bad vibes. I guarantee many of us from the area has known/heard of someone who has gone missing there. Also there’s been more cases since 2008, it’s just not an easy google search away
— Dmitri (@dmitri_jonathan) July 9, 2020
If you look on Wikipedia “ Lake Piru” there has been many deaths in that lake since 1997 I’ve read and I was surprised why it is open to the public after so many tragedies happened there
— 🌼MAYA🌼 (@Mayavamp01) July 9, 2020
'Put up the signs'
A petition on change.org has also been initiated, saying Lake Piru is a very deep lake with very bad whirlpools and Naya Rivera is not the first person to go missing at Lake Piru. “Locals of Ventura County don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourist have no idea what they’re getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. We’re tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs (sic),” the petition reads.
Rivera’s four-year-old son told investigators that his mother lifted him back on to the deck of their rented boat before he turned to see her disappearing under the water. Authorities believe that she drowned accidentally and her body was most likely trapped in the vegetation under the lake for many days before floating to the top.
17:08 IST, July 14th 2020