Amber Riley's Message To Fans About The Search For Naya Is A Reminder To Show Respect

Naya Rivera went missing on Wednesday, July 8, while out on a California boat trip on Lake Piru with her 4-year-old son, Josey. Since then, search efforts have been underway to find the missing Glee star, while her son remains in good condition with family members. The news shook Rivera's fans, friends, and family members, but Amber Riley's tweet about the search for Naya Rivera reminds those concerned to also show respect.

The search began shortly after officials were alerted that Rivera was late to return the boat rental. Upon discovering Rivera's boat, Josey, who was found napping on the watercraft wearing a life vest, told police that his mom was swimming and never came back to the boat, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Members of the Glee cast have spoken out on social media to raise awareness about the search for Rivera in hopes that she will be found. Riley broke her silence on the situation on Sunday, July 12, in order to re-shift fans' focus back to the search efforts instead of being concerned about what Rivera's castmates were saying.

"Show some respect," Riley wrote. "All our energy is going toward helping find Naya and praying for her safe return and for her family. No one owes anyone online a performance of grief. This is very real and devastating."

Riley went on to encourage fans to "focus on Naya and her family" and "not us," referencing the Glee cast. "We don’t matter right now," she added.

Riley, who played Mercedes Jones on the Fox musical-comedy show, followed up her tweet with three hashtags: "#helpfindnaya#NayaRivera#nayariveramissing."

Riley wasn't the only cast member to share her thoughts on the search efforts on Sunday. Heather Morris, who played Brittany S. Pierce, revealed in a tweet that she had "spoken to Sheriff Eric Buschow and rest assured they are using every single one of their resources to locate our Naya."

Morris added: "We will hold off on the citizen search and rescue until we get the go ahead that they’ll allow volunteers. Understand it’s 110 degrees here and if you’re not highly trained in search and rescue, this could end up a much more dangerous situation for everybody involved. Please be kind, compassionate and caring for those who are looking for our Naya."

As the search for Rivera continues, it's only human nature for those who care about her to express their hurt and concern, but hopefully fans will take Riley's message into consideration when they find themselves getting frustrated.