Five phone calls were attempted to multiple phone numbers within the span of 27 minutes, the last being sent at 12:36 p.m. None were made to 911. She has a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Connecticut and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Per the results, detectives have now ruled out: "ALL other potential causes of death remain," the Sheriff's Office said. Gerrish and Chung took multiple photos throughout the hike, deputies said. At 3.20 am, the sheriffs office reserved a search helicopter for daybreak. The final image stored on the phone came at 12:25 p.m. a screenshot of their location from a smartphone trail application. Its south-southeast orientation exposes it to constant sunlight, and the 2018 Ferguson fire left little vegetation capable of producing shade, Briese said. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 1:53 a.m., the family's car is located down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Among the factors hypothesized were exposure to toxic algal blooms, carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption. Briese suggested that, as relative newcomers to the area, they may not have been aware of the steepness of the terrain and how quickly temperatures could rise. Really? Out of water, exposed and overheating, they had to ascend the rugged and steep Savage Lundy Trail to return to their vehicle at the Hite Cove trailhead. It was high summer, and temperatures were climbing swiftly on a remote trail in the Sierra Nevada near the small community of Mariposa. There was also no evidence indicating that Gerrish, Chung or their daughter had ingested any of the river water. Last Names. "We have not found any old mine shafts near the area," the Sheriff said. John and Ellen married in 2019 and had moved to Mariposa County from San Francisco after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, to enjoy the outdoors, after starting working from home on a permanent basis. "There were no signs of trauma, no obvious cause of death. We are confident in our findings, and our investigation supports the findings from the Pathologist / Coroners Office.. Contact Alex MacLean at amaclean@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 588-4541. There were no signs of damage to their bodies. There's just still so many that we can't rule out. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? For those with nothing nice to say, go screw yourselves, said one family friend in response to the sheriffs office post. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. The trail had posted warnings about toxic algae blooms. A witness saw the family on the Hites Cove trail on Aug. 15, where they embarked on a 2.2-mile walk to a U.S. Forest Service trail parallel to the south fork of the Merced River with an. Deputy Mitchell told TooFab that while foul play has not been ruled out, there was nothing to indicate it: no gunshot wounds, no trauma of any kind, no suicide notes. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Authorities still don't know what killed a family of three and their dog along a California hiking trail, though they're investigating a new possibility: lightning strikes. Law enforcement are "investigating possible lightning strikes" in the Hite Cove area of the Sierra National Forest, along the South Fork of the Merced River, where Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog, Oski, were found dead, with no visible signs of trauma, on Aug. 17, the New York Times reports. Its tragic, its emotionalwere going to do everything we can to ensure closure and the safety of our community., Kristie Mitchell said, "Investigators have considered whether toxic gasses, toxic algae and carbon monoxide from abandoned mines near in area may have contributed to the deaths. Gregory Yee was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. These toxins can get into the body through ingestion, through the skin or even through inhalation. Warrants for the couple's phones and social media accounts were obtained and are currently being scoured by the FBI; searches of their truck and home have turned up nothing of significance so far. I-5 closed. The bodies were found on Tuesday on a remote hiking trail. The family were regular weekend hikers, taking Miju with them in a baby-carrier on their backs. The release said the Sheriffs Office dedicated an entire team to the case and partnered with over 30 local, state and federal agencies to determine the cause of death, which was supported by the county pathologists report based on an autopsy, multiple toxicology results, and the agencys investigation. From there, they walked 1.9 miles to the Savage Lundy Trail, then ended up on a steep incline where temperatures reached 107 to 109 degrees due to a lack of shade and high elevation. Residual water from the hydration bladder was also tested, and it was found to be clean, the sheriff said. Our office received an overwhelming number of tips, suggestions and investigative requests that were all reviewed and taken into consideration, the Sheriffs Office concluded in the release. Gerrish was 45 and Chung was 30. Physical force and violence were quickly ruled out, as was toxic gas from an abandoned mine shaft. Last week, several trails and campgrounds around the Merced River Recreation Site near where the family died were shut down "due to unknown hazards". Investigators quickly tried to determine if the phone saved any failed text message drafts, attempted calls, or photos, along with GPS location data. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said illnesses from extreme heat are the deadliest weather-related health outcomes in the United States and kill an average of about 658 people each year. A Northern California family found mysteriously dead in August on a hiking trail in the Sierra most likely died from a combination of hyperthermia and dehydration, the local Sheriff who led the investigation said Thursday. I think it's going to be a very long and in-depth, thorough investigation because it isn't as clear cut as what some cases are.". "These algal blooms can produce toxins that can make people and pets extremely sick," says BLM field manager Elizabeth Meyer-Shields. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? They wished to raise Miju away from a major city and hoped to leave the frantic pace of the San Francisco Bay Area for the calm of nature. The trail is open year-round and is . Explore the most popular trails in my list YNP. No water (over) heating with baby," was the text sent at . We're not focusing on one specific cause at this point. At least 17 photos were taken Aug. 15 over the span of four hours. The Mysterious Stories Blog - Read about strange, disturbing and mysterious stories from the outdoors, from around the world. The department also provided a more detailed timeline of events leading up to the mysterious deaths; dad Jonathan Gerrish had researched the Hites Cove hike on a phone app on August 14, the day before they set out. At 7:44 a.m. Aug. 14, the couple took a photo and video a few yards from the trailhead. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Certified copies of the Report of Death will be sent to the next-of-kin or legal representative and the original will be sent to the Department of State for permanent filing. Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video. "Coming across a scene where everyone involved, including the family dog that is deceased, that is not a typical thing that we have seen or other agencies have seen," Mitchell said. It is located on the South Fork of the Merced River, 4.5 miles west-southwest of El Portal, at an elevation of 1578 feet and accessed via Hites Cove Road. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Officials launched a search and rescue mission and found the missing man on the "Hites Cove Rd portion of the trail", according to a press release from the Mariposa county sheriff's office.. Sheriff Jeremy Briese said," For Mariposa County, this is rare. Lightning strikes in Mariposa County's Hite Cove under consideration. New York, This was once a mining community after the discovery of gold there in 1861, but it burnt down in 1924. I am very proud of my team and our partner agencies for all the work they put in. The Merced River doesn't look particularly deep and the water moves, which would make it hard for algae to build up and form algal blooms like it does in lakes, he added. By (61264) First Published: 11:29 AM PST, February 18, 2022. When their bodies were found Aug. 17, the only water supply with them was an 85-ounce water bladder. Fatal lightning strikes are rare, but do occur; 17 Americans were killed by lightning last year alone. Gerrish was carrying a phone during the hike. A fast and unbiased roundup of whats happening in the world today. However, temperatures reached a high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the hike. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 1:53 a.m., the family's car is located down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale. The Hite Cove Trail is a wonderful adventure in the Sierra National Forest that boasts awe-inspiring views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. https://t.co/ynABqNFJCQ. The California Department of Justice is now assisting the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office with the investigation. ", Jeremy Briese, the sheriff of Mariposa County, said the deaths had confounded him and his team, Ive been here for 20 years and Ive never seen a death, with any case, like this. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, California on August 18, 2021. Birth records are available for 1811-1814, 1833-1898, marriages only for 1833-1887, and deaths for 1851-1928. HITES COVE, Mariposa County Authorities are considering whether a dangerous algae bloom may have killed a young family whose bodies were found here on a hiking trail this week, and friends and . In his October announcement, Briese said he hoped FBI analysts could glean more information from Gerrishs phone. At around noon, at least six text messages and phone calls were attempted. The plea never went through, stymied by the lack of cellular reception in the area. Savage Lundy, though short, is known to be challenging. The trail the family was hiking, the Savage Lundy Trail, snakes along the Merced River. Temperatures reached as high as 109 by midafternoon. Trail use is for: Hiking Parking and toilets are across from Savages Trading Post. In the mid-19th century, an area around Hites Cove held a hard-rock gold mine, where certain techniques are used to extract "hard" minerals holding metals like gold, according to The Associated Press. A map showing the route that the Gerrish-Chung family hiked on the Hite Cove Trail before they were all found dead near each other on Aug. 17. A photo of the trail followed at 8 a.m., and investigators found a photo of the Merced River taken at 9:05 a.m. Such blooms are caused by algae or cyanobacteria that grow in the water and can release toxins that can sometimes poison animals, such as cattle or dogs, according to The California Department of Public Health. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. A map showing the route that the Gerrish-Chung family hiked on the Hite Cove Trail before they were all found dead near each other on Aug. 17. Toxicology and other tests eventually ruled that out as well. In a press conference on Thursday, October 21, 2021, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the Gerrish family died of hyperthermia and probable dehydration, while their 8-year-old dog Oski also suffered a heat-related death. Northeast of the town of Mariposa, California on August 18, 2021 trail the family were weekend! 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