CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #5

[Pumphouse363]

If true, that indicates to me the adults were already suffering mental confusion before they stopped and died.

This was suggested as a possible scenario by someone earlier in this thread.

 

[Pumphouse363]

Best thoughts for @Pumphouse363 and all the Gerrish-Chung loved ones tonight, and for tomorrow which will be one of the very difficult days.

Thank you for your kind words. Everyone on WS has put forward their theories in very considerate and caring ways. The investigating authorities have worked hard in very difficult circumstances. There are still too many anomalies for me to accept it was all a misadventure - a hike that went horribly wrong - still not convinced.

 

[Yvettea]

Something I found interesting about LE's news conference scheduled for tomorrow was that one cause of death or manner of death people have been suggesting on our threads here right from the beginning is apparently not a cause (I was questioning it in my own mind but still waiting for all test results to make a conclusion in my mind about what happened to this poor family.) Extreme heat is not listed as a cause I read that on WGN Radio 720. Strange, if its not heat then what? I guess we find out tomorrow. I wish I could link the news story. I'll try another time.

This is your link. Interesting that extreme heat is said to be ruled out. I hadn’t read that elsewhere.
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike | WGN Radio 720 - Chicago's Very Own
ETA: duplicate information.

 

[Bekind89]

We will probably never get the one answer we all seek. Why?
Why this intelligent, loving couple went on that punishing trail in the blistering heat. I have such sympathy for their loved ones because they will probably always be haunted by that question. We all know these situations happen with experienced hikers, yet they knew Ellen and Jon and can not see them ever taking this chance or putting their cherished daughter and beloved pet in such a dangerous situation.
I can only hope tomorrow answers their questions and eases their mind, but I fear we will have the same question tomorrow as we do today. Why did they hike that day and on that trail?
My sincere sympathy to all who loved and will miss them. This is such a heartbreaking loss of a beautiful family.

 

[Bekind89]

This is your link. Interesting that extreme heat is said to be ruled out. I hadn’t read that elsewhere.
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike | WGN Radio 720 - Chicago's Very Own

How have they ruled out such an obvious possibility as heat stroke? I do not understand.

 

[ItalyReader]

This is your link. Interesting that extreme heat is said to be ruled out. I hadn’t read that elsewhere.
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike | WGN Radio 720 - Chicago's Very Own

Other news outlets are also reporting that extreme heat was ruled out (example of Modbee below) -

Great catch, @5W’s!!!

This is either new news from sheriff direct to media, or possibly an error on the part of the media?? Moo as I’m trying to figure how this got slipped in.

i can’t read the Chicago radio link as it is blocked in Europe so I googled.

“They have already ruled out the causes being related to a gun or any other weapon, extreme heat, a lightning strike, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyanide exposure, illegal drugs, alcohol or suicide.”
BBM

https://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article255166497.html

 

[Yvettea]

The source for the stories about extreme heat being ruled out may be AP News:
Quote: They have already ruled out the causes being related to a gun or any other weapon, extreme heat…
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike

 

[jonjon747]

If their car key or keys were nowhere to be found that to me is very suspicious and indicative of a possible homicide.

 

[Speculaytor]

Here is another article. Hope there are answers today.
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike

 

[Speculaytor]

Other than heat, the toxic algae bloom, and lightning were the other plausible possibilities in MOO. I will be interested to know if it is something completely different. Baffling it has been, to say the least. Prayers to the families.

 

[ItalyReader]

The source for the stories about extreme heat being ruled out may be AP News:
Quote: They have already ruled out the causes being related to a gun or any other weapon, extreme heat…
Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike

Yes it seems the cbs and nbc stories cite AP

 

[Karuna]

The AP says they have "already " ruled out extreme heat. If that was true, it's not new information but yet it's never been reported until now. If it was ruled out why wouldn't it have been included when other exclusions were reported?

Eta: also, can't locate the sheriff's announcement at the moment, but I seem to remember the last official update said they hadn't ruled extrem heat/HS out. Moo, I'll believe it's ruled out when I hear it from LE directly.

 

[bpeterson912]

Other news outlets are also reporting that extreme heat was ruled out (example of Modbee below) -

It's an Associated Press (AP) article. You can find it in literally dozens of papers online, including the example you cited. It's the same article reproduced over and over.

Note that Northern California papers that have been doing their own reporting on this story--such as the San Francisco Chronicle and the Fresno Bee--have not said that heat has been ruled out.

I think it's likely that the author of the AP story just made a mistake.

 

[ItalyReader]

It's an Associated Press (AP) article. You can find it in literally dozens of papers online, including the example you cited. It's the same article reproduced over and over.

Note that Northern California papers that have been doing their own reporting on this story--such as the San Francisco Chronicle and the Fresno Bee--have not said that heat has been ruled out.

I think it's likely that the author of the AP story just made a mistake.

yes, either it’s an error or, similar to the sheriff’s statement going straight to media outlets instead of a public press release, this is a new piece of info. I’m inclined to agree tho it’s more
Likely a journalism error -

 

[Rocky Mountain Hi]

It's an Associated Press (AP) article. You can find it in literally dozens of papers online, including the example you cited. It's the same article reproduced over and over.

Note that Northern California papers that have been doing their own reporting on this story--such as the San Francisco Chronicle and the Fresno Bee--have not said that heat has been ruled out.

I think it's likely that the author of the AP story just made a mistake.

This article in SF Gate updated yesterday said nothing about heat stroke being ruled out. Everybody stay tuned for today's announcement of the COD.
Officials to name cause of death for Calif. family on hike

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Me as well.

Same, especially after reading the Chuck Stone anecdote about his own very close call on the SL trail, despite much experience with heat as a CALFIRE chief. Glad he and his wife and pets made it, so sad the GCs did not.

 

[neesaki]

This article also says extreme heat ruled out. And that toxic algae levels have not. I guess we’ll find out this afternoon.

Sheriff to announce what killed California family on hike

“Mariposa County Sheriff’s investigators have worked with toxicologists, environmental specialists, the FBI and other experts. They have already ruled out the causes being related to a gun or any other weapon, extreme heat, a lightning strike, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyanide exposure, illegal drugs, alcohol or suicide.

One early theory that has not been ruled out is whether high levels of toxic algae detected in the Merced River played a role. Investigators have results from water samples taken in the area but were still waiting for other test results to help determine if the levels were high enough to kill them.”

 

[Rocky Mountain Hi]

Something I found interesting about LE's news conference scheduled for tomorrow was that one cause of death or manner of death people have been suggesting on our threads here right from the beginning is apparently not a cause (I was questioning it in my own mind but still waiting for all test results to make a conclusion in my mind about what happened to this poor family.) Extreme heat is not listed as a cause I read that on WGN Radio 720. Strange, if its not heat then what? I guess we find out tomorrow. I wish I could link the news story. I'll try another time.

The Sheriff said early on, that they were considering heat stroke along with other potential COD's not yet ruled out, so IMO that's pretty much the same thing as "extreme heat". I'm not aware that said sheriff has subsequently ruled out HS. AFAIK he hasn't.

 

[happyday]

If that article isn’t completely wrong, then what is left? Pretty much just the toxic algae?

 

[Rocky Mountain Hi]

If that article isn’t completely wrong, then what is left? Pretty much just the toxic algae?

They were fixated on the toxic algae from the beginning (along with the CO from nearby mines, until that was ruled out). That always seemed a bit far-fetched to me, that toxic algae water could kill a whole family, since it hasn't been known to kill humans before, and within hours, at that.

We'll all just have to hang tight until this evening's report. Should be interesting, in any case.