Dad mode. Naya Rivera’s ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, was spotted for the first time in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 9, with their son, Josey, one day after the Glee star went missing at Ventura County’s Lake Piru.
The West Virginia native, 36, held the pair’s 4-year-old in his arms, in photos obtained by the Daily Mail on Thursday, as the two left Rivera’s sister, Nickayla Rivera’s L.A. home that afternoon.
The Justified actor — who married Rivera in July 2014 before separating in November 2016 and finalizing their divorce in June 2018 — wore a black baseball cap, sunglasses and matching black tee as he carried Josey to the car. His son, who was with Naya, 33, when she went missing at the lake one day prior, was seen smiling in his Dorsey’s arms. Josey wore a black and white hat and white tee.
The duo was photographed hours after the Venture County Sheriff’s Department resumed the search and rescue efforts for Naya on Thursday at 5: 45 a.m. PT. The search was halted on Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT due to safety concerns and visibility issues.
Us Weekly confirmed on Wednesday that officers were looking for the Step Up: High Water star after she was late to return the pontoon boat she had rented earlier in the afternoon.
Personnel from the boating rental went looking for the vessel and found Josey asleep on the boat at approximately 4 p.m., but Naya was not on board. Josey was wearing a life vest when he was discovered, and there was an extra on board — along with the California native’s purse and wallet.
“It is believed that Naya and her son were swimming in the lake near the boat and as they were getting back into the boat, her son made it into the boat and Naya went underwater and did not resurface,” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department told Us at the time.
Following the incident, Us confirmed that Josey is safe. “He’s in good health,” Captain Eric Buschow of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department told reporters on Thursday. “The family is going through a very traumatic time right now.”
Deputy Chris Dyer pointed out that there “are no signs of foul play,” during a press conference on Thursday. “There are no signs of anything wrong besides a tragic accident,” he added.
The missing person search has now been changed to a recovery mission. “It does not change the gusto, and we will push forward with the search operation,” Dyer said. “The goal is to bring Ms. Rivera home to her family.”
