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

[ilovewings]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/23/mariposa-family-death-mystery/

This may have already been posted- but the autopsy does not reveal the cause of death- very strange.

 

[MizStery]

Thanks to Knox and Parsip. I have reread both of your comments numerous times, & “the 6:45 AM photo they uploaded Sunday ‘of the baby backpack’ keeps haunting me.

I suspect this will keep me awake tonight.

Thanks for reading.

My Opinion

<snipped for emphasis>
The last contact was a photo they uploaded Sunday at 6:45 a.m. of the baby backpack they take with them.
Entire family reported missing, later found dead in Mariposa County

Curious about the last contact, it's oddly worded. What was the context of the photo I wonder, was the baby in the backpack? Facebook, IG?

<snipped for emphasis >
I am also now realizing that I have assumed the carrier pack is new based upon the IG post. Also a fact not in evidence.

 

[sfinkz]

There have been so many cases here, in Australia, where people have got lost in our outback and desert areas and were found dead.
What surprises me here is that the dog died as well.
In just about all the cases here, where there was a dog with them, the dog was usually the only survivor.
I can't recall any cases at all where the dog didn't survive.

I am beginning to believe the dog was the trigger. It has been established that the crew did make it to the South Fork, via Hites Cove. Bit of a bushwhack up canyon to Savage Lundy, completing the loop by climbing up the switchbacks (a bearish ascent) to complete the loop.
At any rate, the river canyon—the destination, shaded with cool water running through it, serving as an ideal picnic/rest stop—would mitigate any early heat-related issues, after five relatively easy miles over 3-4 hours (with lunch break).
The river, at near historically low levels, may have lured an excitable, panting animal to its deeper and more stagnant pools, a breeding ground for toxic algae, not necessarily fatal but causing unpleasantness.
Leaving refreshed, with the real test ahead, the dog soon has problems. Everything comes to a halt. The hot afternoon sun beats down on the southern slope. The dog is carried for awhile, slowing their progress and sapping their strength, etc., etc., or maybe it’s just a bad tuna fish sandwich or sprained ankle, something that hinders their mobility and increases their exposure—I am convinced they are sticking together as a group, only as strong as their weakest link—until, ultimately, heatstroke takes its toll at varying rates.

 

[GatorFL]

One last food for thought: do you think LE was quick to “rule out” homicide because they didn’t believe there was a threat to the public and didn’t want to scare people into NOT hiking or getting outdoors?

I really don’t know what it is. I find the baby not near Mom to be puzzling, regardless of baby’s condition.

This is truly a sad situation, regardless

I think they're quick to rule out homicide when there is no evidence of murder.

 

[fred&edna]

In this case I am interested to see if heat stroke is the cause. Honestly I doubt it, I feel it would have affected one of them, not all of them concurrently.

RSBM

This is also what make me hesitate with the heat stroke theory.

jmo

 

[rahod1]

I am beginning to believe the dog was the trigger. It has been established that the crew did make it to the South Fork, via Hites Cove. Bit of a bushwhack up canyon to Savage Lundy, completing the loop by climbing up the switchbacks (a bearish ascent) to complete the loop.
At any rate, the river canyon—the destination, shaded with cool water running through it, serving as an ideal picnic/rest stop—would mitigate any early heat-related issues, after five relatively easy miles over 3-4 hours (with lunch break).
The river, at near historically low levels, may have lured an excitable, panting animal to its deeper and more stagnant pools, a breeding ground for toxic algae, not necessarily fatal but causing unpleasantness.
.

Perhaps, but there are two significant assumptions here: 1) They did the whole loop instead of a down and back the same trail. 2) There was ample shade along the river. BTW, shade alone won't be sufficient if it's limited and the ambient temperature is high.

 

[lilithblue]

Two Death Valley hikers die in extreme heat on the same trail in one week.

Temperatures soared to 109 degrees in Death Valley over the weekend.

Mariposa is not in Death Valley.

Current temperatures right now:

Mariposa 77-84, depending on site checked, etc.
Fresno 90-94
Death Valley 106

There's not one temperature for the whole of California, or even within regions. Mariposa seems to be a somewhat milder area.

 

[silsby]

This is truly a sad situation, regardless

Two Death Valley hikers die in extreme heat on the same trail in one week.

Temperatures soared to 109 degrees in Death Valley over the weekend.

The trail is a 3-mile out-and-back trip that’s considered to be a moderate hike. It winds uphill gradually through a rocky corridor and takes a hiker over short ledges and low overhangs, according to the National Park Service.

“Clear, dry air, and minimal plant coverage means there’s little to block the sun from heating up the ground. Heat radiates from the ground back into the air.”

Death Valley National Park rangers offer these tips to stay safe in the heat:

• Limit strenuous activity
  
  
• End hikers before 10 a.m.
  
  
• Drink plenty of water
  
  
• Eat salty snacks
  
  
• Stay close to air conditioning

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article253711443.html

To be fair, Death Valley is like no place else on Earth when it comes to heat.

 

[whirrledpeas]

RSBM

This is also what make me hesitate with the heat stroke theory.

jmo

Heat may have been a contributing factor to what happened to the family as a whole, but it is still very unlikely that heat stroke symptoms did not show up in any three of their autopsies if it was, in fact, heat stroke that killed all three.

 

[Coquette]

I agree with your surmising 100%. Yes, it’s sad and terrible to think, but to me it makes sense. Especially as someone who has gone through very very dark times. The “masks we wear” in public can be very deceiving.

also, is Ellen’s last post on IG in January? Very different in this modern world for a new first time mom whose baby was still quite young…

No truer words, friend. The masks we wear...

I was taken aback by Ellen's pause on IG. She was a very regular poster until the birth of her daughter. Then only one post that seemed rather.... melancholy to me. Perhaps just deeply thoughtful. Nothing since then. I still wonder if the 'debilitating health' issue coupled with possible PPD was laying heavy on her. I hope not, but I'm a realist. May answers come soon.

MOO.

 

[woods]

Mariposa is not in Death Valley.

Current temperatures right now:

Mariposa 77-84, depending on site checked, etc.
Fresno 90-94
Death Valley 106

There's not one temperature for the whole of California, or even within regions. Mariposa seems to be a somewhat milder area.

It was 107 to 109 degrees Sunday afternoon when officials believe they hiked.

 

[Tellyties]

I couldn’t

Yeh, I get that. I get it's rural. But I still think 9 hours to find a body 1.5 miles in on a trail is still a heck of a long time.

I don't know if SAR or LE waited until dark, they may have done, but why would they? In many situations, waiting can cost lives, and portable flashlights are other lighting is available to deal with the dark.

Just my 20 cents.....

I couldn’t agree more with this. It’s so baffling to me especially after they reported seeing the footprints. A couple of men on foot with some mighty flashlights could have likely discovered them much sooner. MOO

 

[annpats]

I couldn’t agree more with this. It’s so baffling to me especially after they reported seeing the footprints. A couple of men on foot with some mighty flashlights could have likely discovered them much sooner. MOO

According to another websleuther here, he/she posted there were search & rescue teams in overnight. So I'm relieved at that.

 

[lilithblue]

It was 107 to 109 degrees Sunday afternoon when officials believe they hiked.

I'd really love to see where either LE or reliable historical source data shows it was actually that hot that day.

Slightly off topic... I've been off these boards for over a year. Are we no longer able to mention anything from public groups on social media, such as the Sheriff's Department? Or is it just that we need to provide links to it?

 

[Knox]

I'd really love to see where either LE or reliable historical source data shows it was actually that hot that day.

Slightly off topic... I've been off these boards for over a year. Are we no longer able to mention anything from public groups on social media, such as the Sheriff's Department? Or is it just that we need to provide links to it?

Hope this helps-
Rules - Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, etc.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Thanks to Knox and Parsip. I have reread both of your comments numerous times, & “the 6:45 AM photo they uploaded Sunday ‘of the baby backpack’ keeps haunting me.

I suspect this will keep me awake tonight.

Thanks for reading.

My Opinion

Does anyone have a link to the backpack photo?

I think it may have been new, in other photos the baby is in a different type of carrier.

 

[Knox]

Does anyone have a link to the backpack photo?

I think it may have been new, in other photos the baby is in a different type of carrier.

To my knowledge it is not a public photo, nor has it been shared by anyone.

 

[katydid23]

Wasn’t the car only 1.5 miles away? That shouldn’t be 1.5 hours away, right? Maybe 30 minutes with the terrain?

I think it was 1.5 miles from where they were found to the car. But they surely walked much further before they turned around and headed back?

 

[rahod1]

Heat may have been a contributing factor to what happened to the family as a whole, but it is still very unlikely that heat stroke symptoms did not show up in any three of their autopsies if it was, in fact, heat stroke that killed all three.

For me, it's safe to assume the ultimate cause of death was the same for all victims. It's certainly possible that, as some point out, the dog may have ingested tainted water and this was a *trigger* for what followed. I don't think that's likely, since warning signs were evident and I'm convinced they wouldn't have allowed the dog to access the water, but you can't rule that out. I would find it a huge stretch to assume the family ingested, let alone doused themselves, in the river water. BTW, it's possible that the algae could aerosolize and become airborne an inhaled. Not likely though. ERGO>>. Heat Stroke still appears to be the most likely IMO

 

[katydid23]

Moo...it is the brain that needs cooling. As with high temp fever you can become delirious....moo

When our 18 month old was being treated for heat exhaustion [he wasn't at stroke levels thank goodness]---they put cold packs on the back of his neck, on his chest and sprayed his body with cool water---they told us they needed to bring his 'core temperature' down.