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

[Tower]

Forgive my ignorance of cell technology - could they have brought anything with them to create a hot spot in order call 911?

RSBM
In my area, a satellite phone (or spot) which could raise an alarm (notify a friend or call 911 and give your location coordinates) is about $100, with a $30-$50 per month subscription fee. You pay more if you want to send a more specific message (like a text). Otherwise, you can send a basic “I’m okay, just running late.” Or “Call 911, I’m in trouble.”

ETA: My hubby says the subscription has come down in price. Looks like a basic monthly subscription is about $12 here in the US. SPOT GEN4 Satellite GPS Messenger | West Marine

 

[Officer Dibble]

I wonder if they lost their car keys and went back to search for them in a group (due to no shade)? JMO

 

[Officer Dibble]

I'd wager everything I had on suicide or murder suicide and it's not even close

using what method?

 

[RickshawFan]

The family also had a backpack with a bladder that held a small amount of water, the sheriff said.

One bladder for 3 people and a dog on a day like that for that kind of hike doesn't sound close to enough water. Most bladders in backpacks are 2-3 liters; they have hoses on them, so you can drink while you walk.
I wouldn't go out in that heat, and the hike sounds super boring to me, but if I did go, I'd want at least 4 liters just for myself. I'd also have a separate bottle of Gatorade.
Sometimes, the brand Camelbak is used as a synonym for the word "bladder", much as Kleenex substitutes for "tissue".
I would really hope the family was carrying a lot more water than one bladder.
You can get larger bladders than 3-liters, but they don't fit against your back in a pack (the best place 'cos they're heavy). Plus, they're not what most people use for day hikes, and when you hear the word "bladder" referring to a water container, we wouldn't quickly associate that with something that contained, say, 10 liters.
10 liters would weigh 20 lbs, by the way.

Typical bladder and larger volume bladder photos below, for those who aren't familiar.

From REI:

 

[Officer Dibble]

Poison algae may have killed California family, police say

8/21/2021

A family of three who were found dead on a hiking trail in California may have been killed by poison algae, investigators say.

The bodies of British man John Gerrish and his wife, Ellen Chung, and one-year-old daughter Miju were found in the Sierra National Forest on Tuesday.

Nearby waterways are being tested for toxic algae blooms, officials said.

Post-mortem examinations have been carried out in an effort to establish the cause of death.

The family's dog, Oski, was also found dead at the scene in the Devil's Gulch area of the forest, which is a popular hiking destination.

"We don't know the cause… we won't rest until we figure it out," Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese told the Fresno Bee newspaper.

To me that sounds like he is guessing until he finds more info about Algae blooms and their toxicity.

 

[Officer Dibble]

We don’t know if they all died at the same time, but we now know the father was found in the middle of the trail in a sitting position with the baby and dog next to him and the mom further up the trail toward the trailhead/truck. This makes a huge difference to me b/c I think she could have been trying to get help which would indicate a slower situation rather than one sudden event killing them all. JMO

or she ran to try and escape someone JMO

 

[Sunny Day]

Deaths of husband, wife and baby are being treated as a homicide | Daily Mail Online

• 
  
  
  • Police are now investigating the deaths as a homicide after initially treating the scene as a hazmat scene
  • 'There's no obvious indicators of how it occurred.

Graphic question warning :



If it was cyanide poisoning, wouldn't the skin be discolored ?

I'm not on the fence, but am on the side of accident so far.

If it was heatstroke would the dog be able to escape to a cooler spot under some trees/brush ?
Unless he was leashed.
For some reason I'm thinking animals can be pretty smart in a dangerous situation and get the heck out of there ?


This occurred to me-- but is waaaay out there.
Not impossible but improbable : If it was a matter of silencing the husband due to something he was about to leak from his job-- only he would be dead, imo.
Just had to put that out there as I was thinking well it might have been an attempt to shut him up ?

But back again to heat-related deaths or other unforeseen accident ; this still is my first guess.
MOO.

Or could it be as simple as one of them had a mental breakdown, thought of suicide but could not bear the thought of the rest of the family being left behind, and thought they would be better off if they all went together. Such a sad thought, but still a possibility.

 

[RickshawFan]

This section of the Hites Cove Trail makes a loop, with the halfway point the south fork of the Merced River. It is only about 2.5 miles long and is not considered to be a strenuous hike.

Snipped for focus.

AFAIK this trail is not part of the Hites Cove Trail, and is indeed strenuous. Look at the terrain, the steep gulch sides, and those switchbacks, all exposed. Coming up out of the gulch would not be something I'd consider fun or a medium romp.

 

[RickshawFan]

Algae seems to be the favorite headline in MSM, but I just don’t know how I feel about that. It’s possible, but is it really likely? We have toxic algae here from time to time, but I’ve never heard of a person being affected—only dogs. I mean, I know it could hurt humans for sure, but how likely is it that they swam in and or drank random water on their hike and gave it to their baby?

If they were experienced in the outdoors as their history suggests, I'm not sure they'd go near that water. If it's a dayhike, you take all the water you need, and you might take some kind of simple filter just in case. I don't recall ever using a filter on a day hike myself. Plus, how fast does the Merced River flow in that area? It might not be exactly compatible with a quick paddle.

I'm wondering if the dog was on a leash. It's possible the dog got loose and delayed everyone.

 

[RickshawFan]

Wha do you think of the possibility that they all took Benadryl or something innocuous like that, knowing they'd conk out and the universe would take care of them from there?
LE doesn't seem to have found pills, but perhaps they could have simply consumed them all?

 

[Sunny Day]

using what method?

Maybe a very fast acting poison, placed in a snack before they left and not given until they were on the trail. A snack that everyone would enjoy and consume (including the dog and the baby) ? I'm sure someone must be researching their internet searches and purchases leading up to this. (Or maybe I just watch too much Dateline)

 

[happyday]

or she ran to try and escape someone JMO

True!

 

[happyday]

I'm wondering if the dog was on a leash. It's possible the dog got loose and delayed everyone.

I haven’t looked at Ellen’s SM myself, but earlier someone said she had posted about hiking with the dog unleashed.

 

[SophieRose]

https://www.dges.org/history

The best we can tell is Devil's Gulch got the name well before the ranch was formed. Devil's Gulch was the passageway between Nicasio Valley and Paper Mill Creek. The local history seems to indicate that the gulch got its name because of how treacherous this important trail was. In 1864 Devil's Gulch Ranch (873 acres) split off from a larger parcel and was purchased by two Martinelli Brothers, Union Army Civil War officers using their wages to start fresh in California.


eta:

I've seen this trail twice described as nothing like it's name. For example:

(By the way, don't let the Devil's Gulch name scare you. For years, every time I passed this sign, I envisioned a harsh, steep climb through dry, hellish terrain. After all, they got Mount Diablo's name right. Instead, Devil's Gulch is a gentle, relaxing saunter through grasslands and alongside a peaceful creek. I would love to know the origin of the name.) In the summer, and on weekends, expect a lot of horse traffic. In the winter when the weather is chilly, you may have the trails to yourself, especially on weekday mornings.

This 3.9 mile out and back hike is easy, with about 880 feet in elevation change (mostly in small increments).


Exposure:
Mostly shaded.
https://bahiker.com/northbayhikes/sptdevil.html

Personally... I've never visited so I don't know.

That Devil's Gulch is in Marin County north of SF, this one is in Mariposa County.

 

[NSamuelle]

Wha do you think of the possibility that they all took Benadryl or something innocuous like that, knowing they'd conk out and the universe would take care of them from there?
LE doesn't seem to have found pills, but perhaps they could have simply consumed them all?

Benadryl isn’t a reliable suicide agent. People can have paradoxical effects (hyperactivity), and you would have to take such a large dose that you’d vomit before ingesting enough to die. You’d have very painful cramps if a high number of pills were ingested and that effect would show up in body positioning - Jonathan would not be seated. Fast-acting barbiturates combined with opioids, a potassium injection, or Fentanyl would be the way to go. Cyanide capsules are very hard to come by.

 

[Noelscat]

Benadryl isn’t a reliable suicide agent. People can have paradoxical effects (hyperactivity), and you would have to take such a large dose that you’d vomit before ingesting enough to die. You’d have very painful cramps if a high number of pills were ingested and that effect would show up in body positioning - Jonathan would not be seated. Fast-acting barbiturates combined with opioids, a potassium injection, or Fentanyl would be the way to go. Cyanide capsules are very hard to come by.

I would guess it would be something odorless/tasteless in the water source they brought as the preliminary autopsy looked for puncture marks (needle) and certainly stomach contents would include pills casings?

 

[Tink60]

Based on the Outside Online article I linked above, it can be due to 2 reasons: 1) health condition (e.g. weight, age, etc.; or 2) exertion in the heat. Many runners get heatstroke every year. Many of these people are in excellent condition.

As for all 4 perishing around the same time....only the 2 adults matter. The infant could have died first and they over-exerted themselves trying to rush back to the vehicle. Or, one of the adults could have succumbed and the other suffered while trying to help them. They could have put the child down on the ground in a weakened state. The dog may have stayed out of loyalty and protectiveness.

I would think that having an infant in a backpack type carrier in the extreme heat and humidity might raise the baby’s body temp even higher. That would make whoever wore the carrier hotter as well. The thought that the baby was in trouble first and the parent’s panicking and trying to hurry back to their vehicle does make the most sense. I have had heat exhaustion before while climbing and as it progressed I had an overwhelming need to sit down and not move. It was terrifying. I can’t imagine feeling that way and having an infant is distress as well. This poor family!

 

[annpats]

I wouldn't go out in that heat, and the hike sounds super boring to me, but if I did go, I'd want at least 4 liters just for myself. I'd also have a separate bottle of Gatorade.

Exactly this! For that heat, the weight of fluid you'd have to carry would be ridiculous and make the hike strenuous and uncomfortable.

4 litres weighs 4 kilos, plus an extra 500ml bottle of something a bit sugary, that's another 500g.
Add in a phone, bug spray, (and in this case, stuff for a baby) carrying approx. 5kg - 6kg is just not rational in nearly 40°C heat.

As they had a young baby, they really should've just gone on a little walk in a local park that has a café and ice creams, maybe a small lake, look at the ducks, play ball, take a picnic.

 

[Coquette]

Adding to this sad chain..
- Ellen was on her third or fourth year (2018-present) of a 2 year Master’s program, which could have added to stress. Or, maybe she innocently took time off to care for the baby.
- Ellen’s IG used to be filled with pics of travels, adventures, and herself. Post-baby, there are no pictures of her with the baby or any hikes/adventures, just pictures from last year of Jonathan with the baby.
- With her TBI, post-partum may have been an issue. There are no pictures of her baby on her (public) Facebook. But maybe she was just private.
- in addition to working as a pharmacy assistant, she recently worked with a healthcare company and would have a good understanding of drugs (she worked on API roadmaps - Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient).

MOO. Speculation.

LE is now saying they consider this homicide until proven otherwise. Clearly, murder/suicide can't be ruled out. It is not uncommon for people to take pets with them. A woman in NYC recently jumped to her death with her beloved dog. Someone might see it as an act of love to insure their pet doesn't suffer alone. I did not know Ellen worked in pharmaceutical settings. Interesting indeed. Post-partum depression and/or psychosis could be a factor. Time will tell.

MOO.

 

[Knox]

If this has already been posted, I apologize.

'Not one clue': The mystery is only deepening around the family found dead on a Sierra trail

"The husband was in a seated position, the child beside him along with the dog, and the wife just a little farther up the hill."

"Two deputies slept near the family that night to ensure that no one tampered with the scene."

Just seeing this description, can't see the story it's behind a paywall used up all my looks.

Without much thought, I went to- wife was trying to get help and the others had already succumbed.