Sheriff: Family Killed On Hike In Sierra National Forest Died Of Heat-Related Issues

3 years ago 331

October 21, 2021 astatine 2:46 pm

MARIPOSA COUNTY (CBS SF/AP) — A young Northern California household who was recovered dormant aft going connected a hike successful Sierra National Forest were killed by hyperthermia and imaginable dehydration aft walking for hours successful triple-digit heat.

John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their canine were each recovered dormant connected a hiking way Aug. 17 aft a household person reported them missing aft they went hiking on Hites Cove Trail conscionable southbound of authorities Highway and astir 20 miles westbound of Yosemite National Park.

The temperatures successful the country were betwixt 107 and 109 degrees on a steep way that had nary shade, and the household had been carrying lone 1 85-ounce h2o container, little than 3/4 of a gallon, Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said during a Thursday day property conference.

John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their canine were each recovered dormant connected a hiking way adjacent Hite’s Cove successful the Sierra National Forest. (CBS Fresno via YouTube)

The somesthesia erstwhile they started the hike astatine 8 a.m. was 79 degrees. The origin of decease of the family’s canine was undetermined, but it’s believed the canine was besides suffering from heat-related issues.

The household was recovered dormant on Savage-Lungy Trail, adjacent to the Hites Cove Trail.

According to Fresno CBS affiliate KGPE-TV, Gerrish was from the United Kingdom and met Ellen Chung successful San Francisco earlier they relocated to Mariposa during the pandemic successful 2020.

Mariposa County Sheriff’s investigators person worked with toxicologists, biology specialists, the FBI and different experts. They had already ruled retired the causes being related to a weapon oregon immoderate different weapon, utmost heat, a lightning strike, c monoxide, c dioxide, cyanide exposure, amerciable drugs, intoxicant oregon suicide.

“From the beginning, the Gerrish and Chung household person been our apical precedence arsenic we’ve dealt with this horrible event, and our bureau has dedicated an full squad to this lawsuit and we person partnered with implicit 30 local, authorities and national agencies,” said Briese.

The deaths led the Bureau of Land Management to adjacent campgrounds and recreation areas on 28 miles (45 kilometers) of the river, betwixt the towns of Briceburg and Bagby, erstwhile h2o samples downstream from wherever the household died showed precocious levels of toxic algae.

Briese said the household did not portion h2o with toxic algae, and determination was nary grounds they accessed immoderate mines.

“We bash not person immoderate grounds indicating that Jonathan, Ellen oregon Miju ingested immoderate of that water.”

Toxicology reports each came backmost antagonistic for immoderate medicine oregon amerciable drugs, helium said.

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