CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #4

[NSamuelle]

Records requests vary by state; you can bet you're not getting any records from an open and active investigation.

Is it possible they’ll never make toxicology reports public? They never disclosed COD for Erin Valenti, 33, an entrepreneur who died in a rental car in CA.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

Is it possible they’ll never make toxicology reports public? They never disclosed COD for Erin Valenti, 33, an entrepreneur who died in a rental car in CA.

It would be odd to not get CoD, there’s no reason to keep it private. We might not be privy to the tox’ analysis but IMO
We will hear ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’, at the very least. Again, MOO

 

[NSamuelle]

It would be odd to not get CoD, there’s no reason to keep it private. We might not be privy to the tox’ analysis but IMO
We will hear ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’, at the very least. Again, MOO

Would heatstroke be a “natural” cause (does anyone know)? Agreed that LE will sometimes disclose “natural causes,” but I don’t know exactly what that encompasses or if it is just a deliberately vague way of disclosing that someone was not murdered.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

What Exactly Does It Mean to Die from 'Natural Causes'?

In simple terms, natural causes refer to internal factors — like a medical condition or a disease — as opposed to external factors, like trauma from an accident. In other words, natural causes could be anything from cancer to heart disease to diabetes.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

What are the 4 manners of death?
The classifications are natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, and pending. Only medical examiner's and coroners may use all of the manners of death. Other certifiers must use natural or refer the death to the medical examiner.

Cause & Manner of Death | Snohomish County, WA

 

[EndoraXplorer]

I wonder if there will be another "Inside the Office with Sheriff Jeremy Briese" this Friday?

 

[PerplexedPatty]

@PerplexedPatty , what do you think happened?

I personally have completely ruled out ALL environmental factors, including heat related. Why? Iirc, the autopsies failed to provide results. My understanding is heat stroke would cause organ failure and the fact none of the three died from organ failure (afaik) then CoD must be determined by tox’ analysis.
I’m unable to find supporting documentation of any other family succumbing to heat stroke.
Once in a blue moon a high school,or college level FB player will die from heat exhaustion during practice or a game, but never the entire team.
Evidently neither adult suffered a broken limb or heart failure because the autopsies revealed no CoD, afaik.
All MOO

 

[PerplexedPatty]

I wonder if there will be another "Inside the Office with Sheriff Jeremy Briese" this Friday?

I’d say other than his role as “coroner” he’s pretty well out of this investigation. He has a very small department, they relocate rattle snakes, monitor traffic, rescue cats and stuff.
Past articles mention the LE agencies involved in the investigation. Coroner is an elected position, he has no medical training that I can find. MOO

 

[PerplexedPatty]

Toxicology tests are not yet complete. The sheriff’s office has not shared what toxins are being tested for in the toxicology.


Read more here: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article253770788.html#storylink=cpy
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article253770788.html

This is not a new link but I think it implies toxins other than environmental might be included in said tests since Sheriff B did not elaborate.
I would hope any environmental toxin tests would have been completed stat as to rule out public hazard.

MOO

 

[HannahJJJ]

I personally have completely ruled out ALL environmental factors, including heat related. Why? Iirc, the autopsies failed to provide results. My understanding is heat stroke would cause organ failure and the fact none of the three died from organ failure (afaik) then CoD must be determined by tox’ analysis.
I’m unable to find supporting documentation of any other family succumbing to heat stroke.
Once in a blue moon a high school,or college level FB player will die from heat exhaustion during practice or a game, but never the entire team.
Evidently neither adult suffered a broken limb or heart failure because the autopsies revealed no CoD, afaik.
All MOO

They may have indeed died from multiple organ failure. Since fatal heat stroke is not the only condition that can cause multiple organ failure, along with death scene factors, etc. etc., I can see how a toxicology would be needed in order to help clarify.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

They may have indeed died from multiple organ failure. Since fatal heat stroke is not the only condition that can cause multiple organ failure, along with death scene factors, etc. etc., I can see how a toxicology would be needed in order to help clarify.[/

But, three autopsies failed to determine CoD. Would MOF (multi organ failure) not be evident in one organ of the deceased?

 

[Auntie Cipation]

But, three autopsies failed to determine CoD. Would MOF (multi organ failure) not be evident in one organ of the deceased?

Remember that the bodies were not retrieved until roughly 48 hours after death, during a heat wave. There is a lot about the conditions of their internal organs that might not have been able to be clearly identified.

Also, as was just mentioned, even if MOF *was* evident, that doesn't necessarily narrow the COD to heatstroke, so there still wouldn't be definitive information released just based on that. I always assume LE knows more than is publicly released. MOO

 

[Yvettea]

There is the toxic algae concern. These deaths may be related to that, either directly due to ingesting the algae, or indirectly due to avoiding the water. But the investigation is ongoing, so "unknown hazard" it is. @sfinkz has said that they expect an influx of the curious when it is opened, and it's often hot well into October. NOAA predicts a high of 87F/30.5C for Mariposa on Friday, interestingly, 93F/33.9C is predicted for the SLT switchbacks. I share the opinion that many have expressed, that it's an area to avoid when it's hot. I'm sure the prospect of curious people exploring the area (where are them gold mines?) while the weather is still hot gives the authorities pause. I'd go with "closed due to an unknown hazard" too, if I were them. MOO.

Of note, interestingly NOAA predicts a difference of temperature between Mariposa and the trail of 6° even into October, leading me at least to conclude that the temperatures were likely higher on the trail on August 15, 2001 than what JG and EC were experiencing nearby in Jerseydale. Heatstroke still seems relevant in this case IMO.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

Remember that the bodies were not retrieved until roughly 48 hours after death, during a heat wave. There is a lot about the conditions of their internal organs that might not have been able to be clearly identified.

Also, as was just mentioned, even if MOF *was* evident, that doesn't necessarily narrow the COD to heatstroke, so there still wouldn't be definitive information released just based on that. I always assume LE knows more than is publicly released. MOO

Absolutely! We’d be in trouble otherwise.
I always read between the lines, iykwim.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

In response to a question during Thursday's sheriff update, about whether toxicology results were back yet, Briese said, "Some are, yes. But we still do not have an exact cause of death yet."
https://douglas.or.networkofcare.org/ph/news-article-detail.aspx?id=126483

I assumed the early returned results pertained to algae/water/public health risk.

 

[fred&edna]

It seems the toxicology testing is the procedure to rule out (or in) exposure to toxin/s as the initial cause of any organ failure... and to determine if ALL were exposed to the same toxin/s.

jmo

 

[rahod1]

I’m unable to find supporting documentation of any other family succumbing to heat stroke.

French couple who died in desert gave son extra water | CNN

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Would heatstroke be a “natural” cause (does anyone know)? Agreed that LE will sometimes disclose “natural causes,” but I don’t know exactly what that encompasses or if it is just a deliberately vague way of disclosing that someone was not murdered.

And would it be strange that all 4 (inc. their dog) passed away from it in the same timeframe? The baby wasn't walking, but was still subjected to the heat. I heard of this case a few weeks ago and while following the Gabby Petito case, found the thread for this family here. It's just awful, and so weird. I wouldn't think 2 adults would succomb to heat stroke at the same time and be found near each other. One may be stronger, more hydrated, perhaps gone off to get help, etc.

 

[Pumphouse363]

Remember that the bodies were not retrieved until roughly 48 hours after death, during a heat wave. There is a lot about the conditions of their internal organs that might not have been able to be clearly identified.

Also, as was just mentioned, even if MOF *was* evident, that doesn't necessarily narrow the COD to heatstroke, so there still wouldn't be definitive information released just based on that. I always assume LE knows more than is publicly released. MOO

It’s true as was reported their car was seen at 7.45am on Sunday morning and they were not discovered until 11am on Tuesday morning but we have not been informed of an approximate time of death. That means we cannot determine what effect the heat had on their bodies as we don’t know what time they reached that part of the SL Trail on which they were found. If we are saying the effects of heat on their bodies may affect the ability of the coroner to determine the COD then does it not follow they should be able to provide an approximate time of death?

 

[PerplexedPatty]

French couple who died in desert gave son extra water | CNN

From your link:

Their deaths are highly unusual for the National Park Service which operates more than 408 sites around the country. Between 2007 and 2014, there were nearly 2.3 billion visitors to the sites, according to NPS data. There were 1,025 fatalities in national parks from a variety of causes between 2007 and 2013 (no fatality data was given for 2014). The most common – 365 – were drowning deaths, followed by 210 car crashes. The third leading cause of deaths during that time frame were falls, numbering 178.

Between 2007 and 2013, 26 national park site visitors died of heat-related illness.