Found Deceased CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #13

[crhedBngr]

SBCSD Colorado River Station
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas
3:50 PM · Dec 18, 2020

<SBMFF>

UPDATE – December 18, 2020
On November 27, 2020 two people were hiking in a field off Kelbaker Road when they discovered human remains. On November 28th a further search was conducted, and additional bones and evidence was recovered.

The remains have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas. The cause of death is pending.

No other details are available for release at this time.

***********************************

RBBM

Does this new information mean she was found close to where they originally parked?

Thoughts??

JMVHO.

 

[PommyMommy]

RBBM

Does this new information mean she was found close to where they originally parked?

Thoughts??

JMVHO.

It depends where this field is off Kelbaker Rd but we're getting closer...still hoping for an exact location. MOO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

RBBM

Does this new information mean she was found close to where they originally parked?

Thoughts??

JMVHO.

It states that hikers found her remains "in a field off Kelbaker Road". Kelbaker road appears to be several miles long.

While Barbara disappeared near that road this new information doesn't give us a detailed location. JMO.

http://nixle.us/CE3JA

Google Maps

 

[Seattle1]

RBBM

Does this new information mean she was found close to where they originally parked?

Thoughts??

JMVHO.

Kellerbaker is accessible from US-40 and a lengthy road --- goes all the way to US-15 and beyond. Nonetheless, the trailer was allegedly parked near the intersecting roads Kellerbacker and Hidden Hills.

This makes more sense than BT remains located near Essex Rd.

https://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/upload/MOJAmap1.pdf

 

[Reasonable & Just]

SBCSD Colorado River Station
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas
3:50 PM · Dec 18, 2020

http://nixle.us/CE3JA
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas

DATE/TIME: July 12, 2019 2:30 pm **UPDATE**
INCIDENT: Missing Person/Death Investigation
LOCATION: Kelbaker Road/Hidden Hills near I-40
VICTIM: Barbara Thomas, 69 years old, resident of Bullhead City, AZ
DESCRIPTION: 5'9, 130 lbs., Blonde hair, Green eyes, last seen wearing a black bikini, a red baseball cap and tan hiking boots with black socks

UPDATE – December 18, 2020
On November 27, 2020 two people were hiking in a field off Kelbaker Road when they discovered human remains. On November 28th a further search was conducted, and additional bones and evidence was recovered.

The remains have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas. The cause of death is pending.

No other details are available for release at this time.

***********************************

"...additional bones and evidence". Maybe the beer container/cozy, or clothing.

 

[Curiousobserver]

SBCSD Colorado River Station
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas
3:50 PM · Dec 18, 2020

http://nixle.us/CE3JA
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas

DATE/TIME: July 12, 2019 2:30 pm **UPDATE**
INCIDENT: Missing Person/Death Investigation
LOCATION: Kelbaker Road/Hidden Hills near I-40
VICTIM: Barbara Thomas, 69 years old, resident of Bullhead City, AZ
DESCRIPTION: 5'9, 130 lbs., Blonde hair, Green eyes, last seen wearing a black bikini, a red baseball cap and tan hiking boots with black socks

UPDATE – December 18, 2020
On November 27, 2020 two people were hiking in a field off Kelbaker Road when they discovered human remains. On November 28th a further search was conducted, and additional bones and evidence was recovered.

The remains have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas. The cause of death is pending.

No other details are available for release at this time.

***********************************

sounds like just outside where they searched? Not so lost but perhaps a heart attack or stroke?

 

[crhedBngr]

Kellerbaker is accessible from US-40 and a lengthy road --- goes all the way to I-15 and beyond. Nonetheless, the trailer was allegedly parked near the intersecting roads Kellerbacker and Hidden Hills.

This makes more sense than BT remains located near Essex Rd.

https://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/upload/MOJAmap1.pdf

RBBM

Yes, it does make more sense.

JMVHO.

 

[K9Enzo]

"...additional bones and evidence". Maybe the beer container/cozy, or clothing.

Aside from the other evidence mention, it appears to me her bones were scattered (a further search on 28 Nov). IMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Aside from the other evidence mention, it appears to me her bones were scattered (a further search on 28 Nov). IMO

Possibly by coyote.

Coyote - Desert Wildlife

 

[Cherwell]

"A field" is not an expression I would expect to hear used about desert terrain! Is that the usual terminology?

 

[K9Enzo]

"A field" is not an expression I would expect to hear used about desert terrain! Is that the usual terminology?

I’m totally out of my realm with desert terrain. I thought the same as you. Perhaps they are describing an area without any ground cover, plant life, open? IMO

 

[Seattle1]

"A field" is not an expression I would expect to hear used about desert terrain! Is that the usual terminology?

Absolutely -- the MOJA legend depicts Kellbaker Rd area from Desert Dunes to Lava Fields and more....

https://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/upload/MOJAmap1.pdf

 

[LAhiker]

"A field" is not an expression I would expect to hear used about desert terrain! Is that the usual terminology?

It struck me as odd too. I tend to think of fields as containing grasses, or maybe crops. My guess is that they were using the term to describe a relatively flat area with some vegetation, as can be found by the side of the road in this randomly chosen Street View screen grab from further north on Kelbaker.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

My guess is that they were using the term to describe a relatively flat area

RSBM

I agree. In this context I think "field" means a flat area, not in a drainage or wash, not on a road or turnout, and not up in a rock outcrop.

 

[10ofRods]

RBBM

Does this new information mean she was found close to where they originally parked?

Thoughts??

JMVHO.

Yes. And it also means she may very well have been on the east side of Kelbaker Road.

The other side definitely looks like a "field" as opposed to a cactus garden.

 

[deugirtni]

RSBM

I agree. In this context I think "field" means a flat area, not in a drainage or wash, not on a road or turnout, and not up in a rock outcrop.

Also, if in a 'field', then presumably, not 'hidden'. So why was she missed for so long?

 

[Jo in Calif]

"A field" is not an expression I would expect to hear used about desert terrain! Is that the usual terminology?

They used field in their updates.

UPDATE #8
Saturday, July 20th, the search continues this morning for Barbara Thomas.
Eighty (80) Search and Rescue members from throughout the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department were deployed into the field this morning just after sunrise. Off-road vehicles, K9 units, members certified in cave searches, rope climbing, and desert terrain ground hikers are being utilized today. Aviation will be assisting throughout the search operation.

http://nixle.us/CE3JA

 

[LAhiker]

They used field in their updates.

UPDATE #8
Saturday, July 20th, the search continues this morning for Barbara Thomas.
Eighty (80) Search and Rescue members from throughout the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department were deployed into the field this morning just after sunrise. Off-road vehicles, K9 units, members certified in cave searches, rope climbing, and desert terrain ground hikers are being utilized today. Aviation will be assisting throughout the search operation.

http://nixle.us/CE3JA

Thanks for this. I do think that in that update, "field" in "into the field" means something different than it does "in a field" in the recent report. I think that in the earlier update, "into the field" means something more like "into the field of operations." In that context, it includes cave searches, climbing, and desert terrain. Anthropologists also speak of going "into the field" when no actual field is meant.

I do hope that soon enough additional info becomes available that we don't have to parse every word.

JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

They used field in their updates.

UPDATE #8
Saturday, July 20th, the search continues this morning for Barbara Thomas.
Eighty (80) Search and Rescue members from throughout the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department were deployed into the field this morning just after sunrise. Off-road vehicles, K9 units, members certified in cave searches, rope climbing, and desert terrain ground hikers are being utilized today. Aviation will be assisting throughout the search operation.

http://nixle.us/CE3JA

I think that search update meant that Sheriff Department personnel were deployed outside of the office to search for Barbara,

What does in the field mean?
In the field is an idiom with several, related meanings. When someone's in the field, they're "in direct contact with a source of data or subject of interest," as in doing work outside an office or laboratory. It can also mean "in actual use," like a product release after R&D, or it can have the more literal sense of "within a given profession or area of expertise." It's also slang for working hard or enduring the challenges of real life.

in the field | Dictionary.com

 

[windrower]

Also, if in a 'field', then presumably, not 'hidden'. So why was she missed for so long?

If Barbara thought she was succumbing to the heat, she might have tried to shade up under a scrub bush, making her very difficult to see.

More drone operators on search teams would be great, they can search from lower altitudes than search planes. Send planes on a quick flyover to catch anything obvious, followed by drones to take a closer look.

@Trackergd, how does a search like the one for Barbara work in the field? Assuming the last known location is accurate? How large would her initial search area have been, and how far outside that area would searchers actually go?