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

[happyday]

It’s been a long time since I had a one-year-old, but I can remember trying to schedule things around nap schedules. I have two boys, and they were both walking around 10 months. Neither really liked being held or confined at that age, not even in a carseat. Maybe the parents waited for a regular nap time so that she would be more cooperative in the new gear? And they wanted to try it out on a known path close to home in the event she didn’t like it?

This is definitely possible. Maybe they only intended to do a short one since it had gotten hot and they were going later than they originally meant to, but got turned around and lost (it can happen even on trails you’ve hiked before) and ended up out in the brutal heat for way too long.

 

[Yuke]

Any possibility it was the baby that suffered heatstroke first?

 

[wary]

The phone was found with Jonathan.

There’s a slight mystery about the phone/phones. All I’ve specifically seen is that Jonathan had a phone in his pocket. But yesterday, the news articles that I read referred to ‘phones’ in the plural. The context was that the authorities were going to search the phones to try to find clues such as unsent texts, etc. However, I didn’t see an article that specifically said that both adults had a phone.

 

[wary]

Any possibility it was the baby that suffered heatstroke first?

There’s definitely a possibility; babies are susceptible to extremes of heat and cold.

However, the adults were walking, with the sun beating down on them, and the baby wasn’t stressed by exertion.

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I'm always blown away at the differences you can see when using Google Earth vs Google Maps. . . . A point of frustration I can't help but bring up every time I see this in a missing hiker case, is the lack of trail maps and markers and how some trails, these ones included, become completely lost on Google Earth and Google Maps. They're not adequately represented on either one. . .How are hikers supposed to plan a route and map a trail when the biggest, most comprehensive and commonly used mapping website/app isn't showing a factual representation of the marked trails? . . . . .

To my knowledge, real hikers have topographical maps, compasses, and research and would never rely on gps. The point of hiking for many people is to escape "googling" altogether. That's why I don't consider AllTrails a sign that someone is a "serious" hiker. I'm old enough to have experienced roads on maps that deadend and trails that are poorly marked. Twice, my husband and I have been lost while merely walking on preserve land. That taught me that wildland is like the ocean. Always mightier than I.

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

There’s definitely a possibility; babies are susceptible to extremes of heat and cold.However, the adults were walking, with the sun beating down on them, and the baby wasn’t stressed by exertion.

To my knowledge, exertional and classic heatstroke are totally different. A baby or old person can die from a hot apartment. Yes, if cause of death was heatstroke, it is likely the dog and baby succumbed first.

 

[AC's Grandma]

Was this a trail they had done before with the baby?
Does their social media have pics of the family (including baby) on hikes midday in that area? Are any of their friends posting or talking about hikes the parents have been on recently? They also have a nanny that works Monday through Friday, so she would give the parents a break during the week.

I did read in a previous post with MSM links that Jonathan did the trail previously. No mention of Ellen going with him or alone prior to this hike.

 

[annpats]

This isn't like an urban area where an ambulence is available 24/7 to rush people to hospital. Firstly, it was pitch dark, no streetlights on the trail, there's no point in searching in the dark.

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.....

 

[sfinkz]

However, the adults were walking, with the sun beating down on them, and the baby wasn’t stressed by exertion.[/QUOTE

There’s definitely a possibility; babies are susceptible to extremes of heat and cold.

However, the adults were walking, with the sun beating down on them, and the baby wasn’t stressed by exertion.

What we have learned from this case and the other recent local trail mystery (PK) is there are two types of heat stroke; exertion and environment. The seasoned trail runner ‘cooked himself’, according to his friend, within 20 minutes, began making irrational decisions and was deceased perhaps within an hour. The onset of heat stroke in this case would be more cumulative, over a longer period.
In terms of vulnerability, the one-year old, is most susceptible, passive or not (followed by the dog).
The child would also be the most exposed, riding high in the carrier. Even healthy, the baby unable to improve situation. Wouldn’t expect a Lassie-type rescue from the dog either. And once the adults become slightly incapacitated the baby in carrier becomes a 30 lb albatross around your neck.

 

[SophieRose]

<modsnip>

LE said they followed a trail of prints down the road to the trail and found them at the switchbacks in the dark. If LE supposedly followed this trail across a highway and around a loop 7.5 miles in the dark? Don't think so...they followed the prints down the road to the start/or "end" of trail closest the switchbacks.

The article says straight down, don't think that's Savage Lundy, plus mentions a loop. The prints may be at the end of the trail near the water.

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

When the deputy found the truck, a search-and-rescue team hiked down the steep and straight road with flashlights and found shoe and paw prints similar to what you’d expect from a family of that size with a dog, Briese said.

At 3:20 a.m., the sheriff’s office reserved a search helicopter for daybreak. They called in a second search team that began winding down the switchbacks that complete the loop back up to the Forest Service gate. This section of the Hites Cove Trail makes a loop, with the halfway point the south fork of the Merced River.

 

[Kittybunny]

I am 99% in the heat stroke camp. But I agree with those who thought it curious that it wasn't until much later that law-enforcement or MSM said anything about the possibility of heat stroke. I mean I'm not even close to an expert hiker, and that was my first thought.

Regardless, I just can't even imagine the tragedy and heartbreak if one of the little ones, dog or baby, succumbed first, what those parents must've gone through, and maybe the dad couldn't get up to move or help. It's gut wrenching to think about.

I hope there are definitive answers no matter how long it takes.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

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.....

It sounds as if they found the truck and tracks that led north-west of where they were ultimately found.They followed those tracks.

They were searching through the night, as at around 3:00 am the sheriff reserved the SAR helicopter for sunrise. He also called in backup and more SAR workers.

 

[GatorFL]

To my knowledge, real hikers have topographical maps, compasses, and research and would never rely on gps. The point of hiking for many people is to escape "googling" altogether. That's why I don't consider AllTrails a sign that someone is a "serious" hiker. I'm old enough to have experienced roads on maps that deadend and trails that are poorly marked. Twice, my husband and I have been lost while merely walking on preserve land. That taught me that wildland is like the ocean. Always mightier than I.

I'm a pretty regular hiker. I haven't seen a paper map in years. Alltrails, Gaia and/or Guthook are all great apps for hiking. There are also some fantastic GPS out there I've seen widely used on trails.

 

[woods]

Can anyone be able to guesstimate how many hours they were there hiking for?

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Can anyone be able to guesstimate how many hours they were there hiking for?

Just from looking at the maps and the time to hike a 1/3 of the trail my guess was 5 hours. (Amateur speculation).
CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death remote hiking area, Aug 2021

Jonathan had completed the first 1/3 of the trail previously. Maybe they set out to do an out-and-back, but decided the return trip was too steep/dangerous and opted to do the loop hoping it was the path of least resistance(?)

 

[NSamuelle]

Information that should be available hasn’t been released, which is frustrating. By now, LE should know:

- did they attempt to make any calls or send texts? We don’t need to know details, but they should provide a yes/no answer as to whether they attempted to summon help
- exactly what time they arrived at the trail (this should be available from their vehicle and/or when their phones lost reception)
- what their apparent route was (based on footprints and other evidence), and how long it would have been expected to take
- preliminary tests on the water (pop it under a microscope and tell us what you see! Is there a possibility it is tainted?)
- whether the dog was leashed. I.e., could he run away?
- whether any clothing had been repositioned (e.g., did anyone take a shirt off, use a shirt as a bandana or makeshift support for a sprained ankle or other injury that may not have been obvious on physical exam?)
- what did their trash contain? Typically hikers will not litter. Diapers, food wrappers, anything?
- what were they carrying with them? Water filtration equipment?
- did both adults have phones?
- did either adult have a smart watch?

If homicide is off the table (as they said), why not release this basic information?

 

[mickey2942]

I'm a pretty regular hiker. I haven't seen a paper map in years. Alltrails, Gaia and/or Guthook are all great apps for hiking. There are also some fantastic GPS out there I've seen widely used on trails.

I have a Garmin e trek, (I think that is the name), loaded with topo maps. But, I don't rely on it for big trips...that being said, I no longer go on big hiking trips.

And this doesn't seem like it was meant to be a serious trip. Just a short day hike, on a trail, that went seriously wrong. So, no, normally folks going out on a marked trail, don't load up with topo maps. And there is a balance, do you need all of the gear for an emergency? Would it have done anything to help this family?

This reminds me of the case on Lake Superior a few years ago, a family went on a kayak, short, "fun" trip, where everything that could go wrong, did...everyone died but the Mom. Of course, this is sort of a bad example, because they never should have loaded up the kayak like they did

Series of errors in kayak accident that killed dad, 3 kids on Lake Superior

 

[annpats]

It sounds as if they found the truck and tracks that led north-west of where they were ultimately found.They followed those tracks.

They were searching through the night, as at around 3:00 am the sheriff reserved the SAR helicopter for sunrise. He also called in backup and more SAR workers.

Ahhh, that's good. Thank you for the additional info.

 

[SophieRose]

As there has been some discussion about temperatures in the area I thought I would post what the weather station in El Portal was recording for Temp/ Humidity that day.

6:51AM 53°F 49%
7:51AM 77°F 47%
8:51AM 85°F 37%
9:51AM 92°F 28%
10:51AM 99°F 22%
11:51AM 103°F 20%
12:51PM 107°F 17%
1:51PM 108°F 16%
2:51PM 109°F 16%
3:51PM 107°F 18%
4:51PM 105°F 19%
5:51PM 101°F 22%
6:51PM 98°F 24%
7:51PM 94°F 28%

In the case of the French couple who died from heat at White Sands Monument, the temperature was 100 degrees, but the feels like temp (air temp, relative humidity, wind) was more like 110 degrees. So imagine what it really must have felt like in the canyon that afternoon.

 

[annpats]

It sounds as if they found the truck and tracks that led north-west of where they were ultimately found. They were searching through the night, as at around 3:00 am the sheriff reserved the SAR helicopter for sunrise. He also called in backup and more SAR workers.

Ahhh, that's good. Thank you for the additional info.