CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #4

[rosesfromangels]

In that case there is little point speculating on ‘how’ they actually died because nobody has all the facts yet. It is as valid to consider why they would choose to do the trail as it is to consider the COD. All is speculation based on hearsay and media reports. The fact that they were discovered deceased following what was ostensibly a ‘normal’ outing is indicative of suspicious circumstances. MOO

Good post; spot on.
Has anyone found any main stream media info that quotes any credible witness talking about the days/day leading up to the hike? I'm interested in learning more about their lives, and frame of mind. Were things stable? Did they have work or money woes, that sort of thing. Since this remains an unexplained death, I think those possibilities need to be explored.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Newsjunkiejen]

Good post; spot on.
Has anyone found any main stream media info that quotes any credible witness talking about the days/day leading up to the hike? I'm interested in learning more about their lives, and frame of mind. Were things stable? Did they have work or money woes, that sort of thing. Since this remains an unexplained death, I think those possibilities need to be explored.

Amateur opinion and speculation

Just a hypothetical question, but was Jonathan's line of work one that could potentially put him at risk? Was he dealing with sensitive data or information?

MOO

 

[Parsnip]

I don’t understand the significance of reporting this then not making the pic available to the public. If we knew the type of backpack/baby carrier then some people’s questions could be answered. But what if the pic was not the same as the one they actually had when they were found? MOO

From Investigators to search through the phones of couple who died on trail

“There were no signs of foul play and no traumatic injuries indicated at the scene, where Briese said, Miju was 'in a backpack carrier near the dad, but not on the dad,' and Chung was found about 30 yards away.

Their dog, Oksi, lay close to the baby.”

Edited by me per TOS

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Thank you for that information. I know that Jon used Alltrails and had some knowledge of the HC Trail over a year ago. I don’t think that suggests he was intending to go there on that particular day. I must have misunderstood the media comments when they reported he had been previously researching the trail. It gave the impression he had done so recently. MOO

I believe the LE timeline had him researching it again the day before the hike.

Sequence of Events –

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Thank you for that - so how could they know that when his phone has not yet been accessed?

The FBI has his phone.


8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

 

[CocoChanel]

MOD NOTE

Unless someone can provide an MSM, LE or JG/EC social media link to the picture of the baby carrier that is being discussed, the thread may have to be closed to clean up those posts that reference it.

THIS is why Websleuths requires links to ANY info posted.
Posting “I think I saw ____”
OR
“wasn’t there a report of _____”
OR
“someone said _____”
OR anything similar starts a runaway train of discussion that turns a rumor into an assumed fact that is not accurate.
It takes on a life of it’s own and unfortunately derails the discussion.
Again, there are many other places on the internet where that is permitted, but Websleuths tries very hard to keep this site FACT-based.

PLEASE help us with this, and provide the link to the baby carrier picture.
If one is not found, thread will need to be cleaned up.

Fingers crossed someone can find the link and submit it ASAP.

 

[armchairagatha]

MOD NOTE

Unless someone can provide an MSM, LE or JG/EC social media link to the picture of the baby carrier that is being discussed, the thread may have to be closed to clean up those posts that reference it.

THIS is why Websleuths requires links to ANY info posted.
Posting “I think I saw ____”
OR
“wasn’t there a report of _____”
OR
“someone said _____”
OR anything similar starts a runaway train of discussion that turns a rumor into an assumed fact that is not accurate.
It takes on a life of it’s own and unfortunately derails the discussion.
Again, there are many other places on the internet where that is permitted, but Websleuths tries very hard to keep this site FACT-based.

PLEASE help us with this, and provide the link to the baby carrier picture.
If one is not found, thread will need to be cleaned up.

Fingers crossed someone can find the link and submit it ASAP.

Snipped from the article below: "
Gerrish and Chung were last heard from early Sunday, when they uploaded a photo of a backpack. Rosanna Heaslett, the family friend, said they hiked on weekends."
Investigators hope phones of family found dead on hiking trail might solve 'baffling' mystery | Daily Mail Online

 

[Parsnip]

Snipped from the article below: "
Gerrish and Chung were last heard from early Sunday, when they uploaded a photo of a backpack. Rosanna Heaslett, the family friend, said they hiked on weekends."
Investigators hope phones of family found dead on hiking trail might solve 'baffling' mystery | Daily Mail Online

And here is a link to the Fox article referenced by The Daily Mail:

Entire family reported missing, later found dead in Mariposa County

From that article:
‘The last contact was a photo they uploaded Sunday at 6:45 a.m. of the baby backpack they take with them.”

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

I agree with your thought processes but if, as we are informed, the ‘hike’ was relatively close, why didn’t they drive to the trail just to check? I would do that before alerting authorities.

It was described as a 20 minute drive from their home to the trailhead. It is not clear to me that anyone knew of their specific hiking plans. they were reported missing after the nanny contacted their house manager and a deputy happened to check the trailhead closest to where they had recently bought a house. So, close being relative, not sure anyone knew where to go to "check." They likely did not hike that trail regularly, no locals did in the summer and he had looked it up the day before.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Just a hypothetical question, but was Jonathan's line of work one that could potentially put him at risk? Was he dealing with sensitive data or information?

MOO

I would say no, with a caveat. He was a software developer, and should have been removed from most concerns, except to bug fix things as needed, and enhance the product. There would be other people responsible for data concerns, if any.

The caveat is that products of this nature can have bad actors misuse them. As such, companies work in cooperation with LE to report anything they come across that might appear unlawful, with the aide of their legal team for guidance. Again, as a developer, it is unlikely he was directly involved in any of that, IWT.
So no.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[armchairagatha]

The above article link I posted says "backpack" and not "baby carrier" so it is possible that the camelback(?) backpack with 3 liters or so max capacity water bottle was the one they posted. Regardless, it appears there are news articles referencing an upload of a photo of a backpack of some sort on Sunday morning before the hike that their friends saw.

 

[Countem]

MOD NOTE

Unless someone can provide an MSM, LE or JG/EC social media link to the picture of the baby carrier that is being discussed, the thread may have to be closed to clean up those posts that reference it.

THIS is why Websleuths requires links to ANY info posted.
Posting “I think I saw ____”
OR
“wasn’t there a report of _____”
OR
“someone said _____”
OR anything similar starts a runaway train of discussion that turns a rumor into an assumed fact that is not accurate.
It takes on a life of it’s own and unfortunately derails the discussion.
Again, there are many other places on the internet where that is permitted, but Websleuths tries very hard to keep this site FACT-based.

PLEASE help us with this, and provide the link to the baby carrier picture.
If one is not found, thread will need to be cleaned up.

Fingers crossed someone can find the link and submit it ASAP.

The photo itself has never surfaced publicly, as it was posted on one of their private social media accounts. However, it has been referenced in several MSM articles.

Entire family reported missing, later found dead in Mariposa County

The last contact was a photo they uploaded Sunday at 6:45 a.m. of the baby backpack they take with them.

 

[NSamuelle]

The above article link I posted says "backpack" and not "baby carrier" so it is possible that the camelback(?) backpack with 3 liters or so max capacity water bottle was the one they posted. Regardless, it appears there are news articles referencing an upload of a photo of a backpack of some sort on Sunday morning before the hike that their friends saw.

Media have posted “private” pics of Jonathan and Ellen that are not accessible through their public IG or Facebook accounts; I am confused as to why LE can’t provide the actual backpack picture to the media. Maybe it was a temporary post that disappeared after 24 hours and friends remembered it but had no evidence of it.

 

[Newsjunkiejen]

MOD NOTE

Unless someone can provide an MSM, LE or JG/EC social media link to the picture of the baby carrier that is being discussed, the thread may have to be closed to clean up those posts that reference it.

THIS is why Websleuths requires links to ANY info posted.
Posting “I think I saw ____”
OR
“wasn’t there a report of _____”
OR
“someone said _____”
OR anything similar starts a runaway train of discussion that turns a rumor into an assumed fact that is not accurate.
It takes on a life of it’s own and unfortunately derails the discussion.
Again, there are many other places on the internet where that is permitted, but Websleuths tries very hard to keep this site FACT-based.

PLEASE help us with this, and provide the link to the baby carrier picture.
If one is not found, thread will need to be cleaned up.

Fingers crossed someone can find the link and submit it ASAP.

Mainstream media link here <mod add: as a caption on photo screenshot below>:

Father of British software developer found dead with family says family still waiting for autopsy | Daily Mail Online

The couple were last heard from early on Sunday when they uploaded a photo of a backpack. Pictured: Jonathan with baby Muji

I also took a screenshot of where it states it in the article above.

The Daily Mail didn't post a photo of the backpack, but they definitely stated one had been posted.

<modsnip>

What I will add is that it's strange that this image has somehow disappeared into the ether and no one has seen it.

MOO

 

[armchairagatha]

Media have posted “private” pics of Jonathan and Ellen that are not accessible through their public IG or Facebook accounts; I am confused as to why LE can’t provide the actual backpack picture to the media. Maybe it was a temporary post that disappeared after 24 hours and friends remembered it but had no evidence of it.

Yes, if it was an Instagram story or something of that nature, it would be temporary and disappear after a day.

 

[Pumphouse363]

The FBI has his phone.


8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

Thank you for the reference - I know this and we are still ‘awaiting results’ - so why no further indication from FBI? Does anyone know if it is a long or difficult process?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Thank you for the reference - I know this and we are still ‘awaiting results’ - so why no further indication from FBI? Does anyone know if it is a long or difficult process?

The technology aspect isn't what takes the most time, it's the legal warrants required for each app on the phone, to each software provider; add that to what is needed from the carrier, and it's a lengthy process.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[CocoChanel]

UDATED MOD NOTE
Thank you members who submitted links.
Websleuths appreciates the assist.
They are being reviewed.

FOR NOW:
As mentioned above in newsjunkiejen’s post, and in countem’s post, the actual picture described is not found on the current version of these articles, so we DO NOT have the photo.

The 1-sentence statement in the articles is still there, so that statement may be discussed. It DOES NOT specify that it was an EMPTY backpack, or any other details about it.

When news outlets revise their articles, WS assumes that it is for a valid reason.
At this time, the mention of such a picture is OK for discussion. However, speculation beyond what is stated in that one sentence is not allowed at this time.

Clear as mud? Unfortunately, perhaps so.
We walk a very fine line upholding the principles of Websleuths, and we appreciate all members who support and help us do that.

FOR NOW PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BOLDED ABOVE.
Moderators will let you know if that changes.

If you have any further questions about this or any other TOS, please PM a mod instead of asking on the thread. We are happy to help.

Faithfully,
CocoChanel
Administrator/Moderator

 

[Parsnip]

In the SF Examiner photo, JG is carrying the baby in a pack-style carrier worn in the front position:

Family’s death in Sierra National Forest is shrouded in mystery - The San Francisco Examiner

I found a similar carrier here:

360 All Positions Baby Carrier: Cool Air Mesh - Chambray

The description states: “The Ergobaby 360 is a natural next step after your little one outgrows the stage of being carried in a baby wrap or newborn carrier. This award-winning, all-position baby carrier is comfortable and functional between 12 and 45 pounds, with four ergonomic ways to babywear.”

This pack can be worn on the front or back. Given the baby’s age (which we know) and weight (which we do not), this may or may not have been the carrier the family used the day of their hike.

 

[Pumphouse363]

The photo itself has never surfaced publicly, as it was posted on one of their private social media accounts. However, it has been referenced in several MSM articles.

Entire family reported missing, later found dead in Mariposa County

“The last contact was a photo they uploaded Sunday at 6:45 a.m. of the baby backpack they take with them.”

I wonder who saw this pic then and informed the media or LE? If it was private then the person(s) who saw it may have known where they were going ? And following this train of reasoning isn’t it also probable the person(s) would have asked where they were going? When my friends post pics I usually respond accordingly. When something bad happens to a relative or friend we seek reassurance that there was nothing that could have been done to help them. We want to think the best of them but accept that there is always human error and the elements of nature to take into account. There are so many suggestions on this site that provide plausible possibilities as to how the family may have met their demise, but none of them satisfy my personal understanding of this terrible occurrence. Thank you to everyone who has made suggestions. MOO