CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death remote hiking area, Aug 2021

[katydid23]

Hite Cove Trail===where their car was parked

Hite Cove Trail, Post Telegraph (and way before Ferguson) Fire

i.imgur.com/y1xEoz...

 

[citizen_sleuth]

I think they either consumed water contaminated with a toxic algae bloom or (more likely IMO) were unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time and suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from an abandoned and improperly sealed mine. A real tragedy that most likely would’ve been difficult, if not impossible, to prevent in advance. This is heartbreaking—my condolences to the family.

 

[legalmomma]

How very tragic. Could this be the culprit? I'll have to check a map to descern proximity to where the family was found. And their fur baby. I don't know if I'm calloused or just a major animal lover but when a family pet is killed or dies it affects me deeply. Not to mention a 1 year old.
---------------
Sierra National Forest issues a “toxic algae alert” | YourCentralValley.com

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Officials from Sierra National Forest (SNF) warned visitors of the Merced River at Hites Cove Tuesday of toxic algae that is present in the area.

The SNF says the “toxic algal mats” can be attached to the bottom, detached and floating, or washed up onshore.

Anyone who encounters the algal mats is asked to not let children or adults touch, eat or swallow them, and to not let dogs eat mats or drink from the water.

If a person or pet gets sick after encountering the toxic algae, SNF says to immediately contact a doctor or veterinarian.

 

[legalmomma]

My Water Quality: California Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

At this link there is much more explanation of these toxic mats. And that they transport to other locations....

Where do algal mats grow?


Figure 2. Algal mats growing in a slow-flowing shallow pool in a river.
Mats can grow in rivers and streams, or in reservoirs, lakes and ponds, and mats can look very different from algal blooms in the water column (Table 1). Mats grow attached to rocks, sand, cobbles, bedrock, or other plants attached to the bottom (benthic zone) of a water body (Figs. 1-3). Unlike blooms in the water column, the water can be clear when mats grow (Fig. 2-3). Mats can detach and float to the surface of the water (Fig. 4). Once at the surface, winds and current can transport the mats to other locations, and they may also get washed up and stranded on the shore. Therefore, floating or stranded mats can be present, even if no attached mats are visible under the water at that location.

 

[Knox]

I don’t know that specific area but I used to live in CA and hike all over the Sierras, including Sierra National Forest. Nobody with any sense about them would drink water without using a serious filter. Giardia is quite common in the Sierras. Anybody (with any sense) who moved to the area to be closer to the outdoors would bring their own water or at least an adequate filter. I would bet they ate something but why did the dog die? I’m thinking the worst, I’m afraid. Outgas from mines makes little sense and the Lake Nyos theory is unlikely around that area. If it were Mammoth, it’d make some sense, but the western side of the Sierras are much less geologically active.

I didn't want to suggest it, as it's too soon to think of causes outside of the environment, but other
causes could be at play. But Ellen's IG account show a couple deeply in love, so it doesn't appear they were unhappy. Tox screens will tell the story I guess.

 

[TTF14]

Such a crazy story. So very sad! It's hard to believe all FOUR died from the same thing, out in the open air like that!

 

[Satchie]

Toxic algae doesn't cause people or animals to just drop dead, there is a period of diarrhea, vomiting and many other symptoms, that I imagine would seriously motivate parents to get to the car and help, IMO.

 

[NSamuelle]

Ellen was working on overcoming a TBI (traumatic brain injury). Source: her Instagram and employer, Satori Yoga studio. She referred to it on her IG account in Oct. 2019 as a “dark and lost time.”

I hope she is at peace now.

 

[insearchoflight]

Wow this has got to be one of the oddest..

so tragic and awful

what happened??

 

[citizen_sleuth]

Toxic algae doesn't cause people or animals to just drop dead, there is a period of diarrhea, vomiting and many other symptoms, that I imagine would seriously motivate parents to get to the car and help, IMO.

Apparently there wasn’t cell service in the area, so perhaps if they became sick/disoriented, there weren’t able to figure out how to get back to the car. MOO.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

Wow this has got to be one of the oddest..

so tragic and awful

what happened??

My guess is carbon monoxide poisoning. The area they were found was near abandoned mines, which can cause the leaching of toxic gases (such as CO) trapped in “pockets” of the crevices of the rock into the air. Although CO poisoning is most common in inclosed spaces (i.e., inside a house), it can and has occurred in the outdoors. Hopefully the toxicology report will be able to shed more light on their most proximal cause of death.

 

[NSamuelle]

My guess is carbon monoxide poisoning. The area they were found was near abandoned mines, which can cause the leaching of toxic gases (such as CO) trapped in “pockets” of the crevices of the rock into the air. Although CO poisoning is most common in inclosed spaces (i.e., inside a house), it can and has occurred in the outdoors. Hopefully the toxicology report will be able to shed more light on their most proximal cause of death.

CO poisoning should be easy to detect on autopsy. “In 98.4% of unintentional carbon monoxide-related deaths livor mortis were clearly cherry-pink.”

Source: Should coroners be able to recognize unintentional carbon monoxide-related deaths immediately at the death scene? - PubMed

However, I would be surprised if that was the case here - experts have expressed a lot of skepticism.

 

[Knox]

Family of 3, pet dog found dead in remote California hiking area

Watch the video at link, MCSO actually talks about Algae bloom as a possibility. Says there are signs out warning people of the danger.

The video at link says they did not locate any mines in the immediate area. Mentions algae bloom and also says not able to rule out foul play. They are also performing an autopsy on the dog. The nanny reported to their house manager they hadn't come home, that person reported them missing.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

CO poisoning should be easy to detect on autopsy. “In 98.4% of unintentional carbon monoxide-related deaths livor mortis were clearly cherry-pink.”

Source: Should coroners be able to recognize unintentional carbon monoxide-related deaths immediately at the death scene? - PubMed

However, I would be surprised if that was the case here - experts have expressed a lot of skepticism.

The study you linked above discusses cases of indoor CO poisoning resulting from a city’s switch to a different energy source, not explicitly outdoor exposure. I’m not necessarily sold on the idea that they succumbed to CO poisoning while on their hike because of the weird circumstances, but it’s a possibility. Though, unless they tried to climb down into the mine or happened to (unfortunately) camp directly on top of the CO leak, I have no idea how everyone, including the dog, could pass away in such a compressed time frame. My second best guess is contaminated water from an algae bloom but I have no clue.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It reminds me of a case here, in Australia, where a couple were found dead near a river.

Bogle–Chandler case - Wikipedia

The Bogle–Chandler case refers to the mysterious deaths of Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler on the banks of the Lane Cove River in Sydney, Australia on 1 January 1963. The case became famous because of the circumstances in which the bodies were found and because the cause of death could not be established. In 2006 a filmmaker discovered evidence to suggest the cause of death was hydrogen sulphide gas. In the early hours of 1 January an eruption of gas from the polluted river bed may have occurred, causing the noxious fumes to pool in deadly quantities in the grove.

 

[realanastasia]

Temperature on the date of their hike was 102F. Past Weather in South Fork Devils Gulch, California, USA — Yesterday or Further Back

Why would two apparently rational adults who were somewhat experienced hikers, even consider taking a 1-year old infant and dog on what is reportedly a fairly challenging (steep) hike through largely inhospitable terrain in such conditions?!?

 

[Andreee]

How very tragic. Could this be the culprit? I'll have to check a map to descern proximity to where the family was found. And their fur baby. I don't know if I'm calloused or just a major animal lover but when a family pet is killed or dies it affects me deeply. Not to mention a 1 year old.
---------------
Sierra National Forest issues a “toxic algae alert” | YourCentralValley.com

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Officials from Sierra National Forest (SNF) warned visitors of the Merced River at Hites Cove Tuesday of toxic algae that is present in the area.

The SNF says the “toxic algal mats” can be attached to the bottom, detached and floating, or washed up onshore.

Anyone who encounters the algal mats is asked to not let children or adults touch, eat or swallow them, and to not let dogs eat mats or drink from the water.

If a person or pet gets sick after encountering the toxic algae, SNF says to immediately contact a doctor or veterinarian.

yes, that is similar to what Knox posted above. I suspect they all cooled off and waded in the water, rather than drank it deliberately. Maybe they missed the sign. Horrible!

 

[MissUnderstood]

Temperature on the date of their hike was 102F. Past Weather in South Fork Devils Gulch, California, USA — Yesterday or Further Back

Why would two apparently rational adults who were somewhat experienced hikers, even consider taking a 1-year old infant and dog on what is reportedly a fairly challenging (steep) hike through largely inhospitable terrain in such conditions?!?

Definitely strange circumstances. Would you carry a child while hiking? You couldn’t push a pram on a hard to get to place. I get the sense this. May have been planned. Hope to be wrong. Moo

 

[Catmommy]

I frequent a crime sleuthing board. My mind runs to darker possibilities. Right now all four are victims but it is impossible for me to think that they all dropped dead suddenly at the same time in the same place. I hope that in time toxicology reports will give us answers. Then all my dark doubt will be banished. Or confirmed.

 

[ttcRider]

If it was that dangerous that park and trail would be closed down to all hikers. I am thinking a murder suicide happened here. Totally agree with realanstasia's post. IMO The Jamesons story comes to mind but they left their dog in the truck.