CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #2

[woods]

Jonathan’s father Peter, 70, said he is 'mystified' by their deaths as he still awaits the results of their autopsy but insists they were not murdered.

'We are mystified like everyone else. I don't want to say a great deal as there is a lot going on.'

'We are just waiting for the authorities to do all the tests. We are in touch with them and are awaiting the final analysis.'

Speaking from his home in Bamber Bridge, Lancs he added: 'We don't believe they were murdered. We just want people to get on with the task at hand.' He had also said that the family were 'heartbroken' by the puzzling deaths.

The couple were very active and often spent time outdoors or traveling.

Police are still waiting on the results of post-mortem examinations. Further Toxicology reports could take up to six weeks.

Autopsies and Toxicology tests are planned for Thursday (today) in Stanislaus County.
Father of British software developer found dead with family says family still waiting for autopsy | Daily Mail Online

 

[whirrledpeas]

Here’s an article with an updated timeline of the events, including warrants obtained, causes of death rules out and information about the trail.

“Sequence of Events

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

8/15/2021 7:45 am – Witness sees Gerrish/Chung family traveling towards the trail head in their vehicle

8/16/2021 11 pm – Family friend reports family missing

8/17/2021 1:53 am – Family car located

8/17/2021 1:55 am – Search and Rescue Mission Initiated

8/17/2021 11 am – Family Located by Search and Rescue

8/19/2021 – Autopsies completed on Family and Dog- All currently pending toxicology

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for phone found with family

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for family home and cars- nothing significant located

8/23/2021 – Additional water samples collected from water sources along the trail area

8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

8/25/2021 – Search Warrants issued for possible social media access”

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

 

[whatsnext]

I really hope the families will get some clarity about how they died, they must be devastated .
While I don't think that at this stage of the investigation you can count out murder/suicide absolutely, I think that it is more likely that a perfect storm of bad decisions, the heat and lots of bad luck is maybe more likely.
Very tragic.
All my personal opinion

 

[Kyshoegal]

El Portal sits by the river in a canyon full of green trees, it's lovely there.
It's quite different than the barren, burned out landscape of Hites Cove and Devil's Gulch.
There shouldn't be any doubt it was heat stroke hot there.

I’m very new to this case but I read where they were “avid” hikers since moving to the area. Avid is a variable but it seems like if they were familiar with the area and planes to take a small child hiking they would check the weather and know it was gonna be hot and humid that day plus there was water found in their water pack so if they had heat issues it seems likely to me they would have used the water before they had all died. But that’s just my thoughts so far.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Here’s an article with an updated timeline of the events, including warrants obtained, causes of death rules out and information about the trail.

Sequence of Events

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

8/15/2021 7:45 am – Witness sees Gerrish/Chung family traveling towards the trail head in their vehicle

8/16/2021 11 pm – Family friend reports family missing

8/17/2021 1:53 am – Family car located

8/17/2021 1:55 am – Search and Rescue Mission Initiated

8/17/2021 11 am – Family Located by Search and Rescue

8/19/2021 – Autopsies completed on Family and Dog- All currently pending toxicology

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for phone found with family

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for family home and cars- nothing significant located

8/23/2021 – Additional water samples collected from water sources along the trail area

8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

8/25/2021 – Search Warrants issued for possible social media access

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

That is helpful!

It looks like they did get started earlyish in the day, so I wonder why LE said they thought afternoon. Do they have some indication the family went somewhere else first, or dawdled around the car for hours? Unlikely, but that afternoon rumor came from something.

Awaiting release of more info...

 

[rahod1]

Here’s an article with an updated timeline of the events, including warrants obtained, causes of death rules out and information about the trail.

Sequence of Events

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

8/15/2021 7:45 am – Witness sees Gerrish/Chung family traveling towards the trail head in their vehicle



Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

If true....we can assume with considerable confidence that the hike began at the EARLIEST>>> 8AM. As I recall it would be at least 92F 1 hr later?

• 08/15/2021 06:00 73 DEG F
• 08/15/2021 07:00 77 DEG F
• 08/15/2021 08:00 85 DEG F
• 08/15/2021 09:00 92 DEG F

 

[Kyshoegal]

I think the time of departure matters because if the family really did start the hike in the afternoon, then it becomes harder to explain their decision-making that day. It's one thing to start a hike at 7 a.m. (when the temperature is in the 70s) and then to get stuck in severe heat. But it's something else to start a hike--with a kid and dog in tow--when the temperature is already 107 to 109 degrees. That would be a strange thing to do.

For what it's worth, I'm very skeptical of the account that the family departed in the afternoon. As far as I can tell, the source for this is the August 20 article in the SF Chronicle stating that "authorities believe the family left for their hike Sunday afternoon." This was just a characterization; there was no direct quote from a law-enforcement source. Perhaps the author of the Chronicle article accurately relayed what LE told him, but I wouldn't be surprised if a LE source said something like "we know the family was out there on the trail on Sunday afternoon when the temperatures were above 107 degrees"--which the author of the article then misinterpreted as meaning that the family started their hike on Sunday afternoon.

If someone is aware of a direct quote from LE stating that the family started their hike on Sunday afternoon, please share it. In the absence of such a statement, I'm inclined to believe that the family started the hike early Sunday morning.

I agree with you. It makes a huge difference what time they left. They were intelligent people and outdoorsy so it makes no sense to hike in that weather beginning mid day with a small child.

 

[Officer Dibble]

I don't think they died of heat stroke or poisoned water or CO2 from mines.
Autopsy showed absolutely nothing, not a single hint of anything.
Until the toxicology result is out,
I'm going with death caused by unknown supernatural force or something like possessed by an evil spirit.
Besides, the place is called Devil's Gulch.
It's difficult to take all 4 lives at the same time at the same spot.
Dog would've wandered around, and one of the three human beings would've shown something in autopsy.

Erm, are you saying it could possibly be UFO related? Just asking...

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

That is a very useful article.

If he was researching the trail the day before it sounds as if it was new to them? The easier part of the loop is on his AllTrails but is not marked complete.

It is the most difficult trail in the area.

 

[woods]

That is a very useful article.

If he was researching the trail the day before it sounds as if it was new to them? The easier part of the loop is on his AllTrails but is not marked complete.

It is the most difficult trail in the area.

Can you link John’s AllTrails account?

 

[rahod1]

I agree with you. It makes a huge difference what time they left. They were intelligent people and outdoorsy so it makes no sense to hike in that weather beginning mid day with a small child.

It was 85F at 8AM..the earliest time they could have started thehike (assuming they were still diving to the area at 7:45). I was 92F just one hr later!

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Can you link John’s AllTrails account?

https://www.alltrails.com/members/jonathan-gerrish

ETA: Not the OP, but I happened to be on the site.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Here’s an article with an updated timeline of the events, including warrants obtained, causes of death rules out and information about the trail.

“Sequence of Events

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

8/15/2021 7:45 am – Witness sees Gerrish/Chung family traveling towards the trail head in their vehicle

8/16/2021 11 pm – Family friend reports family missing

8/17/2021 1:53 am – Family car located

8/17/2021 1:55 am – Search and Rescue Mission Initiated

8/17/2021 11 am – Family Located by Search and Rescue

8/19/2021 – Autopsies completed on Family and Dog- All currently pending toxicology

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for phone found with family

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for family home and cars- nothing significant located

8/23/2021 – Additional water samples collected from water sources along the trail area

8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

8/25/2021 – Search Warrants issued for possible social media access”

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

Thank you, this is really helpful.

 

[placard]

I agree with you. It makes a huge difference what time they left. They were intelligent people and outdoorsy so it makes no sense to hike in that weather beginning mid day with a small child.

On one website someone says it gets hot quickly in the early morning and they were surprised by it.

 

[HawthorneJuniper]

The fact that only ONE Camel Back bladder was reported (with residual water still in it) is very telling in and of itself. That's not nearly enough for two adults on a four hour hike in hot weather with a 3Mile return hike uphill, Child and Dog not withstanding.

Yes, I had noted that this aspect was unclear. Experienced hikers would ensure each adult carried sufficient water but there was only mention of one bladder.

The other relevant unknown is what time they actually started. I know there's a picture of them looking ready for hiking at 6:45 or so but mention of them leaving in the afternoon but I'm not aware of confirmed timing.

It wouldn't make sense to do that kind of hike later in the day. It actually makes little sense to do that kind of hike anytime in the summer as no matter how early you start the uphill will be later & warmer unless you're camping overnight. It's exactly the opposite of the type of hike I'd do in hot weather. When my 23 yr old twins were younger we'd have to vacation during school vacations so all our western hiking trips were in June, as early as possible, but always at hot times.

I spent hours planning hikes that were safe to do in southern UT, CO, CA, AZ etc. Hikes to waterfalls with little elevation gain, hikes where you climb UP first then down which is just generally preferable IMO. I would almost double the necessary water. My husband was laden down like a pack mule with it. But to do a hike where you gain that kind of elevation at a hotter time of the day doesn't make sense unless they were thinking of "the old days" when evenings were a lot cooler. Now it's not cool until the sun goes down & they'd have had to have been back by then. But they'd have known that so...

 

[placard]

If the autopsy said no heat stroke.. then what else could it be.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

That is a very useful article.

If he was researching the trail the day before it sounds as if it was new to them? The easier part of the loop is on his AllTrails but is not marked complete.

It is the most difficult trail in the area.

BBM

I wondered the same, but then thought that even if they had been on the trail before, it's still reasonable to look at a map before going again.

It's just so unfathomable to me that they would plan more than a super-short trek in that heat. Like "let's go down to that really funky boulder that's only 1/4 mile down, to snap a photo for my new online profile picture".

What could have possibly happened to turn that type of quick jaunt into a serious hike in the heat? I can't imagine.

And also, given the lack of trees, I have a hard time imagining anyone choosing that trail as a regular, repeat hike, except for one reason, which is that they lived essentially right at the trailhead, in terms of driving time. Maybe the open vista is spectacular? Hazy from smoke most likely though.

But personally I would opt for a daily walk straight from the house, along local roads -- more scenic since the fire, and easier to turn around at any point if needed, or one waits while the other gets the car. That's just me though. MOO

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If the autopsy said no heat stroke.. then what else could it be.

Heat stroke hasn't been ruled-out, but until all of the lab work is back, they wouldn't make a final determination. Just my opinion.

 

[HawthorneJuniper]

That's actually COOL for Death Valley. We drove through in June, on our way to Yosemite, just for the experience & stopped at a few places. It was 123. I did nothing but sit on a shaded bench and I was never so hot in my life. I would never survive in those temps. I get hot when it's 70. My then 16 yr old sons & husband walked quite a bit. Walked, not hiked. Even those "tough dudes" couldn't hike in that heat.

Article in today’s Daily Mail about a second hiker having died in Death Valley. Heatstroke is suspected. Out of interest, I looked up the temperature for Saturday, August 21st (when he succumbed) and it was 109 which, according to the park’s Facebook entry (Death Valley National Park) is BELOW the average of 115 for this time of year. Age and fitness variations aside, this does seem to suggest temperatures in this region (100+) are definitely risky in terms of heatstroke (and again given these people will presumably be well hydrated and carrying water otherwise).

The article also includes a summary of the Gerrish/Chung fatalities and reports and quotes a few things that may be of possible interest (I have made bold the most salient points):

a) It quotes the sheriff as saying the baby was found near but not on her father. The quote is: “... Briese said, Miju was ‘in a backpack carrier near the dad, but not on the dad,' and Chung was found about 30 yards away”. It’s worth pointing out the DM has sourced this quote from the Times which I would consider a very reliable source.

b) It mentions the state is re-testing river water (which suggests to me they are still focusing on this). The quote is “... California State Water Resources Control Board and Mariposa County are now re-testing the river water for cyanobacterial toxins...”.

The link to the DM article is here: Two hikers die on same Death Valley trail just days apart as temperatures in California rocket | Daily Mail Online

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Can you link John’s AllTrails account?

I can't from this device but it is on the 1st thread.