Found Deceased UT - Daniel Brown, 34, Iron County, 28 March 2016

[JerseyGirl]

Even if he planned his own disappearance, it still doesn't answer WHY he left the vehicle with the windows open (is he a big jerk?!?!) and no coat.

 

[azure]

Brown left with the van keys in his possession. The driver and passenger side windows had been rolled down before the vehicle was shut off. The woman used blankets to cover the open windows through the night.

http://www.thespectrum.com/story/ne...h-missing-man-turns-rescue-recovery/82487722/

hinky, hinky

So he left with the van keys and driver and passenger windows wide open. He left behind his coat, his wife, 4 kids, and 2 cellphones.

There is no way this man left to get help given the information in that article. There must be a history of untreated mental illness, drugs, or domestic abuse. Or all three.

I hope mom is evaluated for competency and tested for drugs given that she had equal responsibility for putting the kids in that situation (unless this is an ongoing domestic abuse case). If she is clean and competent, I hope this family stays far from "dad".

 

[LookingForClues]

JerseyGirl, I think you linked to the wrong story in you first post this morning. I don't see the info about 7 p.m. being the correct time he left. But that info is in the story I've linked below:

Iron County Sheriff’s Office calls off search, now a recovery

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/03/31/tds-iron-county-sheriffs-office-calls-off-search-now-a-recovery/#.Vv5-B0n2bcs

This article also gives a bit more detail on where they were stuck, though still no road name:

When the van got stuck, the couple was traveling on a two-track dirt road 20 miles north of Enoch. There were several main dirt roads less than a mile away from their location, Schlosser said, and state Route 130 Minersville Highway just 2 miles west.

It's weird they decided to drive so far down the two-track road. I don't understand why they didn't just pull off a little bit onto the two-track. They were already on roads that don't get tons of traffic by being on those dirt roads off Route 130. I doubt anyone would have bothered them. I've driven on roads like this in Utah, though not these particular ones, and you never know what you're going to find--road washed out, deep mud, deep snow drifts, etc. If you don't know the road already, it's crazy to put yourself in the position of not being able to turn around and get back to the main roads.

 

[JerseyGirl]

JerseyGirl, I think you linked to the wrong story in you first post this morning. I don't see the info about 7 p.m. being the correct time he left. But that info is in the story I've linked below:

Iron County Sheriff’s Office calls off search, now a recovery

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/03/31/tds-iron-county-sheriffs-office-calls-off-search-now-a-recovery/#.Vv5-B0n2bcs

Here's another link:

https://www.cedarcityutah.com/news/...calls-off-search-now-a-recovery/#.Vv6FlJwrLAU

While authorities earlier said Brown left his family at 4 p.m., Sheriff Lt. Del Schlosser told Cedar City News Thursday that after some investigation they found the time was closer to 7 p.m.

 

[LookingForClues]

After reading all this latest information, I wonder if they were planning to all die out there. It sounds like they had a rather unstable lifestyle. Maybe it was just too much to handle, 4 kids and no steady job, moving around from place to place.

 

[anya]

Wouldn't there be footprints in the snow?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, not in a blizzard, unfortunately. That's one of many reasons they can be so dangerous. (PSA: Never leave your car in a blizzard especially in unfamiliar wilderness!).
I'm wondering (but hoping I'm wrong) if he fell and is buried under the fresh snow pack if it hasn't melted yet. I hope this is not the case, though.

 

[carbuff]

You leave the windows open so you don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning when the engine's running and the snow gets up higher than the tailpipe.

 

[JerseyGirl]

You leave the windows open so you don't die of carbon monoxide poisoning when the engine's running and the snow gets up higher than the tailpipe.

He left the windows open and took the keys. The engine was not running.

 

[carbuff]

I missed the part about taking the keys.

That takes it from weird to sinister.

Go out someplace you're almost guaranteed to get stuck. Leave the family in a cold vehicle. Take the keys and so they can't get out. Leave the phone so you can't be traced.

Now I'm starting to wonder if it was locked in the glove box, not just overlooked.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I missed the part about taking the keys.

That takes it from weird to sinister.

Go out someplace you're almost guaranteed to get stuck. Leave the family in a cold vehicle. Take the keys and so they can't get out. Leave the phone so you can't be traced.

Now I'm starting to wonder if it was locked in the glove box, not just overlooked.

In addition, leave the passenger and drivers side windows open before leaving with the keys.

The phones were not locked away, she rummaged through the car the next day and found the working phone. She said she thought he took it with him.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Police say the Brown family would typically drive to the area where they became stuck to camp when they couldn't find a place to stay.

Police do not know why Daniel Brown didn't attempt to call 911 on Monday.

Since Monday night, the area where Brown went missing has had about 7 inches of new snow, which has since melted, and the temperature has dipped below 20 degrees.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39125884&nid=148

[When Brown left the vehicle] Brown did not follow the road back the way he came, but rather was last seen walking out to a ridgeline and then continuing on.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...w-considered-a-recovery-operation.html?pg=all

 

[Limecat]

I missed the part about taking the keys.

That takes it from weird to sinister.

Go out someplace you're almost guaranteed to get stuck. Leave the family in a cold vehicle. Take the keys and so they can't get out. Leave the phone so you can't be traced.

Now I'm starting to wonder if it was locked in the glove box, not just overlooked.

Just got here and am catching up from last night. Things - very few - are making a little more sense. Or not. I remember reading early on the family was found "cold but ok". I couldn't really get the cold part bc they were in the car and had been living in the car. I know you have to be careful about running the engine if your cars exhaust is in the snow but you could clear it away.

Anyway I digress. So learning the husband took the keys and left them with the windows down explains the "cold" part anyway. Of course on the flip side it boggles the mind. Pretty much everything else about this boggles the mind. Well, my mind anyway. Why why why why would he take the keys?

And now he left at 7pm not 4pm? That's a pretty big discrepancy. And he left his coat in the van? Did I read that right?

IMO I am really starting to expect we are going to hear way more weirdness before we ever find out what really happened.


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[LaborDayRN]

Even if he planned his own disappearance, it still doesn't answer WHY he left the vehicle with the windows open (is he a big jerk?!?!) and no coat.

I can think of a reason, but I hope it's not true. IF (and I'm not saying this is the case, just a possibility) he knew he had a ride (didn't need a coat) and he wanted to be free of his family (planned this) it would might make sense in a sick mind. He may have also thought the cell phones didn't work (no cell service), not knowing you can call 911 (his wife didn't know, maybe he didn't know either). Just speculation.

He may have also been genuinely going for help. They apparently had camped in the area before. He left his coat so they could use it for warmth. He didn't realize the keys were in his pocket. Perhaps he thought he had a cell phone with him. He got lost.

I can think of a third possibility. He wanted to end his life.

All of these possibilities make me sad.

 

[cocomod]

From reading comments - so this is RUMOR only - it says that they recently moved to the area. The comments I am reading indicate that possibly they were not accustomed to the weather in the area.

I think it is VERY strange that he took the keys with him. That just plain doesn't make sense. What I don't understand is that as he was walking away, why didn't his wife say, "Honey, you accidentally took the keys and the windows are still down."?? Surely she would have noticed when he was still in visible site.

I have been following this story in the papers, and I can tell you it just doesn't make much sense. I feel extremely sad for a family living on the streets though. Poor kids!

 

[ZhaZhaHa]

Police say the Brown family would typically drive to the area where they became stuck to camp when they couldn't find a place to stay.

Police do not know why Daniel Brown didn't attempt to call 911 on Monday.

Since Monday night, the area where Brown went missing has had about 7 inches of new snow, which has since melted, and the temperature has dipped below 20 degrees.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39125884&nid=148

[When Brown left the vehicle] Brown did not follow the road back the way he came, but rather was last seen walking out to a ridgeline and then continuing on.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...w-considered-a-recovery-operation.html?pg=all

Well this raised my eyebrows. So he knows the area a little, didn't follow a road but walked out to the ridge? Uhhhh.....ridges in snow storms are no good.

And I tend to believe they must have been fighting. They didn't realize the windows were down, he took the keys so she couldn't leave without him. He probably want to walk to cool off and "get help", but something happened along the way. Those poor kids in the cold all night.

 

[Butler]

I can see how this could happen. The weather wasn't bad until later Monday night - early Tuesday morning. They were only a couple of miles from the highway. Dad probably thought he could walk to the highway and flag someone down within 30-60 minutes and get back. Mom most likely trusted him to be back. Not being from the area he probably had no idea how quickly the weather changes in this part of the country.

 

[Butler]

There is no way this man left to get help given the information in that article. There must be a history of untreated mental illness, drugs, or domestic abuse. Or all three.

I hope mom is evaluated for competency and tested for drugs given that she had equal responsibility for putting the kids in that situation (unless this is an ongoing domestic abuse case). If she is clean and competent, I hope this family stays far from "dad".

So should all moms be tested for drug use or evaluated for competency when something doesn't go according to plan? Right now all we know is this family has had some hard times, moved around looking for work, and was currently homeless. Mom & Dad decided to look for a place to camp and got the vehicle stuck. Mom stayed with the kids in the vehicle while dad went off looking for help.

Where in the world does anyone get drug use or mental illness given the FACTS as has been reported?

 

[Butler]

This looks like this is truly an unfortunate situation. My guess is Mr. Brown is deceased and his body just hasn't been found yet. I feel for his wife & children. A difficult life just got far more difficult.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39142230&nid=148
Brown left both his cellphone and his wallet in the vehicle. About 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, Brown's wife discovered the cellphone that she thought her husband still had. She used it to call 911 and deputies came to rescue her and her children.
When asked why Daniel Brown didn't call 911 himself on Monday, Schlosser said the wife told deputies, "There's some lack of trust with government officials. That's been her answer to that." Schlosser said the Brown family is homeless and would typically drive to the area where they became stuck to camp when they couldn't find a place to stay.

 

[Satchie]

I can imagine in that situation there could have been a lot of frustration, an argument between the parents, and not thinking clearly, he stormed off. I can also imagine that, being broke, he didn't want to spend money on calling a tow truck or whatever.

I hope this family is getting lots of support.

 

[Butler]

I can imagine in that situation there could have been a lot of frustration, an argument between the parents, and not thinking clearly, he stormed off. I can also imagine that, being broke, he didn't want to spend money on calling a tow truck or whatever.

I hope this family is getting lots of support.

BBM - Yep. Probably thought it would be easier (cheaper) to flag someone down and ask for help. He most likely underestimated how far it was and the weather. The storm didn't come in until after he left the vehicle.