CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #6

[5W's]

Also with all due respect, what part of "it doesn't mean the dog got no water" is it that you don't understand? I don't carry a water bowl for my dog when hiking, my dog doesn't need a water bowl. She needs WATER. I can give it to her without a bowl, directly from a bottle, or she can drink it from local sources, which she prefers. This case is driving me crazy too. How hard is it to understand that it's WATER that your dog (and mine) needs, not a bowl. When I get a chance I'll take a photo of my dog drinking water without a bowl to prove that yes, it is possible. There is no way of knowing HOW their dog was getting water, but he was. He couldn't have made it that far without water.

You are correct IMO about having WATER. However LE has said there was no other source only what they had. This is one of the reasons this is so strange. Your are correct its not possible otherwise. LE works what they have.

 

[neesaki]

Sniped & BBM
But that's exactly what they did, completing all but the last 1.5 Mi. How do explain that fact unless you subscribe to the notion that a nefarious element compelled them to attempt the entire loop?

Well, that they willingly did that hike with little water, a baby and a dog leans toward the ludicrous. So rather than believing they were not of sound judgment, and guilty of child and dog neglect and abuse, at this point I tend toward going with the nefarious element theory. It’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Just because there’s no evidence of that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Jmo

 

[5W's]

Except that he wasn't exploring a new and compelling adventure. Before they relocated permanently to Mariposa, they'd been using their home there as a vacation location and a hiking base for at least a couple of years. What you could say, though, was that JC in general enjoyed adventuring and perhaps pushing the envelope: a hiking trip to the Himalayas, where they found themselves in some sort of life-threatening situation regarding heat or lack of water (per EC's social media posts), a trek through the Gobi desert that also turned out to be strenuous in spite of their being part of a group with support staff and supplies, and various hiking trips around Mariposa County, at least a couple of which involved steep descents and ascents back up from canyons, per JC's All-Trails maps.

As to the dynamics of the relationship, there was discussion about that near the beginning of this series of threads, but moderator/s deleted that, as being too speculative. I think JC was the leader in terms of "adventures", and EC his enthusiastic follower. That may be as far as we're able to go with that.

Thanks for pointing out the Himalya trip. Then again they didn't have the baby and dog with them either. The Gobi desert trip one can say that the couple did with support. Even on the Himalya trip he had others with him. Yes pushing the envelope but to a certain point, however not to the point of no return (so to speak.)

 

[5W's]

They can. In my county I have read news reports of two dogs dying from toxic algae in the past 5 years, including one in the Russian River, on a day when there were lots of other dogs (and people) playing in the same river. Apparently if a dog ingests a clump of the algae it can be lethal, but not many do. Two in five years is pretty low. MOO

Thank you for pointing that out. The fact is that authorities closed this area until very recently this tells me that the river water had a higher content of the toxin than what was in the location you are speaking of in your area. That is why the authorities in your area didn't close it otherwise they would have.

 

[RickshawFan]

I think that realization may have been as late as the river or even the bottom of SL, at that point, with no cell coverage, the only way out in their minds was up. Going back to the river and waiting until dawn and cooler temps might not even have occurred to them. When heat warps cognition, clinging ever more tightly to the original plan is not uncommon.
What It Feels Like to Die from Heatstroke - Outside Online

That’s very odd IMO. How would a magazine columnist know what it feels like to die?

 

[RickshawFan]

I like your description of enjoying nature on hikes. But I don't know if its a fact that JG/EC liked pushing themselves to their limit. The pictures I've seen are those that show they were prepared for their hikes and dressed appropriately.

I haven’t seen those photos, but IIRC they had gone on guided trips. Those tell you what to bring and what to wear. No matter, on this hike they were not at all set up to match the conditions.

 

[RickshawFan]

Thanks for pointing out the Himalya trip. Then again they didn't have the baby and dog with them either. The Gobi desert trip one can say that the couple did with support. Even on the Himalya trip he had others with him. Yes pushing the envelope but to a certain point, however not to the point of no return (so to speak.)

IME a trek in the Himalayas would generally involve a guide. They arrange overnights in the mountains, etc. You can easily arrange one locally if you don’t come with one from the US. I happen to know this because, although I couldn’t follow through, I’d made all the arrangements to go on a trek with a Nepali guide company.

 

[RickshawFan]

Thank you for pointing that out. The fact is that authorities closed this area until very recently this tells me that the river water had a higher content of the toxin than what was in the location you are speaking of in your area. That is why the authorities in your area didn't close it otherwise they would have.

The area was a potential crime scene, and at the very least LE were evidently trying to trace the family’s path. IMO it would have been closed even if not for the toxins.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

If you use the oxX app to map the hike it shows the weather information for Mariposa, Ca and the much milder temperatures on Aug, 15. Maybe this family had no way to anticipate a high of 109° anticipating the much milder forecast for Mariposa.

ETA:JMO

I don’t use onX, what temperatures were forecasted for that day according to that app?

 

[IceIce9]

I haven’t seen those photos, but IIRC they had gone on guided trips. Those tell you what to bring and what to wear. No matter, on this hike they were not at all set up to match the conditions.

I have gone on many guided trips with several different organizations. Some have been hiking trips in extreme conditions, some were winter canoe trips in single-digit temperatures, others were extended cycling trips in rough terrain.

In each guided trip the equipment is either provided for you or you are provided with a list of required equipment and clothing. Everything is checked before the start and if you do not have proper clothing or equipment you don’t go. End of story.

A guided trip is completely different than hiking on your own.

 

[lotus777]

I don't disagree with your point about cooling off in the river before the hike for Oski. However, there is no other mention other than a few snacks that they had other sources of water to drink. with them. The amount of water they did have was not enough for all 4 of them. Plus Oski going into the river and then starting the hike would have dried off pretty quickly. I don't question LE's findings at all. LE worked with what they had. These questions that have been posed here by others and myself at the unusual circumstances could point to something else also. Its physically impossible for the family to have done this entire loop with so little water in 109 degrees temp. IMO.

But it wasn't 109 degrees throughout the entire hike. It was in the 70s when they started out.

 

[ItalyReader]

But it wasn't 109 degrees throughout the entire hike. It was in the 70s when they started out.

The temp of 74-76 was just at the beginning around 745am.

The sheriff’s report on the Mariposa County FB page states that already after the 2nd mile of 6+ miles, the temp had reached a minimum of 92-99 degrees.

Presumably that means by maybe 9-10am MOO it was already 92-99 degrees, since from the truck to that point was 2 miles going downhill.

I can paste that heat by distance traveled info here too if anyone doesn’t have access to Facebook.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

The temp of 74-76 was just at the beginning around 745am.

The sheriff’s report on the Mariposa County FB page states that already after the 2nd mile of 6+ miles, the temp had reached a minimum of 92-99 degrees.

Presumably that means by maybe 9-10am MOO it was already 92-99 degrees, since from the truck to that point was 2 miles going downhill.

I can paste that heat by distance traveled info here too if anyone doesn’t have access to Facebook.

bbm
Yes, please!

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Like Kreycik's case, this case reminds me of two things. 1. Digital reality is not the same as nature's reality. Focusing on all the things digital reality offers (spiffy maps, waypoints) will keep you from learning the truth about nature and life. For instance, temperature as a number on a screen vs what it feels like to a dog's paws. Long-sleeves are cooler than sleeveless . . .

2. What I want may not correspond to what is possible. This understanding comes with maturity. I want a free and easy early morning hike, light on my feet, walking quickly. To be free in nature. But wait, there's my baby and her new carrier that needs adjusting, my wife and what she wants, do I have the map downloaded, where's the Camelback, where's Oski's leash and water bowl, snacks, hurry it's getting late, do you have the baby bottle. . . .

I realize some of you can't see this, but this site has given me deeper understanding of the world we live in and what Covid has done to our sense of reality. There is a desperation to feel normal and be who we once were. Those days are never coming back.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

That’s very odd IMO. How would a magazine columnist know what it feels like to die?

First person experience / close call per the article.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

let me try to paste the whole thing -


“Facebook full sheriff transcript


Gerrish / Chung Family

Final Press Release


This will be our final update on the Gerrish / Chung Case.

This is a tragic situation and has been a very unique case to investigate from the onset.


As of Friday October 15th, we have determined the official cause of death. Our Pathologist has completed his report based on the autopsy, our investigation, and a multitude of toxicology results. The Cause of death for Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung and Aurelia “Miju” Chung-Gerrish has been determined to be Hyperthermia, and probable dehydration. Due to, Environmental exposure.


Oski the dog’s cause of death remains undetermined. Based on the condition of Oski’s remains and evidence on the scene investigators believe that Oski was possibly suffering from heat related issues. Oski was an 8 year old aussie / akita mix.


“Heat related deaths are extremely difficult to investigate, and I want to thank you all for being patient with us as we investigated this case. As I’ve mentioned the Gerrish Gung family have been our top priority as we dealt with this horrible event.” Sheriff Jeremy Briese


Our Office has dedicated an entire team to this case and partnered with over 30 local, state, and federal agencies.

The following timeline of events was created based off the evidence

collected during the investigation:


On Saturday night, August 14th, Jonathan used an app on his phone to plot out the route of travel for the Hites Cove hike. We know while using the app, he only entered “way points” or point to point mapping, although this does not calculate the exact trail mileage or elevation changes. This was not uncommon; Jonathan used a few different trail-mapping apps and frequently took hikes.


On Sunday morning, August 15th, around 7:45am, a witness walking in the area saw the family truck heading in the direction of the Hites Cove Trail Head. At 8am the witness observed their truck parked at the trailhead and no family around. The approximate temperature in that area was 74-76 degrees and the elevation is approximately 3880ft.


Jonathan, his wife, Ellen, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, who was riding in a backpack style child carrier, and the family dog Oski, left on foot from the Hites Cove Road / Trail head. The family walked 2.2 miles down Hites Cove Road/Trail to the US Forest Service Trail 20E01.4, the elevation at the trail intersection is approximately 1930ft and the approximate temperatures were between 92-99 degrees. They continued walking along 20E01.4 trail which parallels the South Fork of the Merced River for approximately 1.9 miles towards the Savage Lundy Trail intersection. At the Savage Lundy Trail intersection, the elevation is approximately 1800 ft and the temperature was approximately 99-103 degrees.


Jonathan, Ellen, Miju and Oski then began the steep incline section of the Savage Lundy trail. This section of the trail is a south/southeast facing slope exposing the trail to constant sunlight. There is very little shade along this section of trail due to the Ferguson Fire of 2018. The temperatures along that section of trail ranged between 107-109 degrees from 12:50pm -2:50pm cooling slightly from 4:50pm to 8:50pm from 105-89 degrees. The family hiked approximately 2 miles up the Savage Lundy trail.


On Monday, August 16th, the family babysitter arrived for her normal shift at Jonathan & Ellen’s home. The babysitter was unable to locate the family and called other family friends in an attempt to locate them. Friends continued to search and call Jonathan and Ellen throughout the day. After failed attempts to locate the family, the friends reported them missing At approximately 11pm on Monday night to our office and deputies begin their investigation.


On Tuesday, August 17th, at 1:50am, a Mariposa County Sheriff’s Deputy searching the area located the vehicle at the trailhead and requested a Search and Rescue mission be initiated.


On Tuesday, August 17th, at 4:00am, Search and Rescue teams arrived and were able to locate human and animal tracks and begin tracking down the Hite Cove Road/Trail. At 8:40am, additional teams begin down the Savage Lundy Trail. California Highway Patrol was contacted, and their helicopter H40 was requested to assist in the search.


Tuesday, August 17th, at 9:30am, Search and Rescue teams located Jonathan, Ellen, Miju and Oski approximately 1.6 miles from their vehicle on the Savage Lundy Trail deceased. It should be noted that there was only one 85 oz water bladder located with the family. This water bladder was empty and no other water containers or water filtration systems were located amongst the family.


Sheriff’s personnel located the family, there were no apparent causes of death, we requested a helicopter overflight, ensuring the safety of searchers and staff and to preserve scene integrity.


Video of portions of the Savage Lundy Trail-

We were aware this trail had been posted by the Sierra National Forest for toxic algae and this area is known to have mines, which precautions were taken due to the possibility of unknown environmental hazards. Regarding the water, and if you have specific questions regarding the water sample results or other water related questions, please contact the state water board. Six separate laboratories assisted in testing water samples. The testing that was done on the water taken from several locations along the South Fork of the Merced River was positive for Anatoxin A. We do not have any evidence indicating that Jonathan, Ellen or Miju ingested any of that water. We also know that there has been no recorded death in humans connected with Anatoxin A, we do know that can be deadly to animals.


One mine was located over 2 miles from where the family was located, our staff along with the California State Highway Patrol Helicopter, H40 searched that area and found no evidence that the family located or accessed the mine.


Our office received an overwhelming number of tips, suggestions & investigative requests that were all reviewed and taken in consideration. We are confident in our findings and our investigation supports the findings from the Pathologist / Coroner’s office.


Assisting Agencies

California Department of Justice, Crime Scene Investigations

United States Forest Service (USFS), Law Enforcement

United States Forest Service (USFS), Recreation Department

United States Forest Service (USFS), Trail Maintenance

United States Department of Interior, National Park Service, Law Enforcement Special Agent

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Meteorologist in charge, Hanford, Ca.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Mariposa County Environmental Health

California Department of Public Health

California Water Board

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Weapons of Mass Destruction, Scientific Response Unit.

University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medicine

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Jeanette Mero

Madera County District Attorney’s Office, Cyber Investigations

Modesto Police Department, Cyber Investigations

Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, Cyber Task Force, Forensic Unit

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cyber Investigations

California Survival School

Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office

California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Tulare, CA.

California Office of Emergency Services

California Highway Patrol, Central Division Air Operations, H40

California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)

Mariposa County Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Doctors Medical Center, Modesto, CA

California Office of Emergency Service, Search and Rescue, Medical Advisor

Federal Bureau of Investigations, Cyber investigations, Headquarters, Washington D.C.

Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force

Environmental Health Investigations Branch -Center for Healthy Communities

Central Valley Toxicology, Inc.

Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-Infectious Disease Pathology Branch

Bend Genetics, LLC

Yosemite Falls Well Drilling and Pump Service

GreenWater Laboratories

UC Davis Laboratories


Statement from the Gerrish/ Chung Family:

The loss of a close relative is a pain almost beyond words. When that loss is multiplied by four and one of that four is a baby of just one years old, then the pain is indescribable. When that pain is then further impacted by the lack of knowledge and certainty as to the reasons for their deaths, then the questions of why, of where, of when and of how, fill your mind all of the days and all of the nights.


Into this void came the Sheriff's Office of Mariposa County. They have felt our pain, shared the distress of our loss, and have responded with sympathy, empathy and total dedication trying to find some answers for us. We would like to say a heartfelt thanks for their dedication and commitment. They have truly gone the extra mile. This was clearly a team effort by all concerned, from those involved in the search, in the recovery and in the investigation. However it would be invidious not to give our particular thanks and appreciation to; Sheriff Jeremy Briese, Sgt. Joe Williams, Capt. Sean Land, Undersheriff Sterling Cramer, Asst. Coroner Andrea Stewart and Sgt. Mike Charman for their extreme helpfulness and commitment.


Some questions have been answered and we will use the information as a way of helping us come to terms with the situation, however the question “why” can never be answered and will remain with us.


Our hearts will never forget the beautiful lives of Jonathan, Ellen, Miju and of course Oski. They will remain with us wherever we go and whatever we do. In the future, when we sit beneath the trees listening to the wind soughing through the branches we will hear them and we will remember.“

Thank You. I wish we could stickie this to the front page. I did read this but didn’t study the details of the statement. He was very concise.

From the statement above (bbm):
“Jonathan, Ellen, Miju and Oski then began the steep incline section of the Savage Lundy trail. This section of the trail is a south/southeast facing slope exposing the trail to constant sunlight. There is very little shade along this section of trail due to the Ferguson Fire of 2018. The temperatures along that section of trail ranged between 107-109 degrees from 12:50pm -2:50pm cooling slightly from 4:50pm to 8:50pm from 105-89 degrees. The family hiked approximately 2 miles up the Savage Lundy trail.”

So LE possibly believes they may have started the S-L climb between 12:50pm - 2:50pm. (?) They may know the possible speed, but not how long the breaks were.

We could possibly map it with that data. (I may have missed it if anyone has already.)

I believe they knew they were in trouble as they approached the switchbacks, but the choice was to get to the vehicle, not back to the river.

For the hikers, or anyone who may know, would hiking back to the river make sense (presuming they were thinking clearly, not affected yet by heat exhaustion)?

Stay by the river overnight, if heat and exhaustion were the two main issues? Rest and hike at dawn?

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

People have different relationships to risk, even hikers, parents and pet owners. What Makes Risk Takers Tempt Fate? (nationalgeographic.com) What may be unfathomable to one person might be both appealing and rewarding to another. Close calls may push some to become more cautious, others, not. Some people are drawn to adventure travel and riskier activities. Sometimes there are misjudgments re: risk. I think they hiked fast and light JG posted about climbs. On that day, rather than exhilaration and a sense of having "pushed through", the day sadly ended in tragedy. I imagine one's risk tolerance impacts what factors are deemed relevant and how they are weighed up. As climate change causes temps to rise, there really needs to be public education about the dangers of brain damage and death re: heat IMO. Closing trails when there are extreme heat warnings may help prevent deaths to some degree. Again, MOO.

I am not entirely convinced that they even tried to call 911. They may have never truly understood what danger they were in. As HE progresses to HS it impacts cognition.

 

[HannahJJJ]

Well, that they willingly did that hike with little water, a baby and a dog leans toward the ludicrous. So rather than believing they were not of sound judgment, and guilty of child and dog neglect and abuse, at this point I tend toward going with the nefarious element theory. It’s the only thing that makes sense to me. Just because there’s no evidence of that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Jmo

Moo. I have always tended to believe nefarious element or mental health issues (perhaps converging on marriage relationship, Moo). Imo/Moo, in this most unusual case--I believe the Sheriff said he hadn't seen one like it in his twenty plus years--one has to look deeper than the 8 or so mile hike in 100 plus temperatures. Imo, Moo, of course, go deeper. Of course. Moo. All Moo.

 

[Rocky Mountain Hi]

Like Kreycik's case, this case reminds me of two things. 1. Digital reality is not the same as nature's reality. Focusing on all the things digital reality offers (spiffy maps, waypoints) will keep you from learning the truth about nature and life. For instance, temperature as a number on a screen vs what it feels like to a dog's paws. Long-sleeves are cooler than sleeveless . . .

2. What I want may not correspond to what is possible. This understanding comes with maturity. I want a free and easy early morning hike, light on my feet, walking quickly. To be free in nature. But wait, there's my baby and her new carrier that needs adjusting, my wife and what she wants, do I have the map downloaded, where's the Camelback, where's Oski's leash and water bowl, snacks, hurry it's getting late, do you have the baby bottle. . . .

I realize some of you can't see this, but this site has given me deeper understanding of the world we live in and what Covid has done to our sense of reality. There is a desperation to feel normal and be who we once were. Those days are never coming back.

While there are good points in terms of plans one makes in one's head working out differently in reality, I don't see the relevance to Covid. The kind of scene you describe could have happened before Covid, and similar ones did, though fortunately most didn't end in death.

But people overestimate their capacity to hike, the strenuousness of a hike, the weather (too cold or too hot, or changing from overcast to rain). They may overestimate children's ability to keep up or a pet's ability to handle warmer weather. They may fail to bring enough water or food, taking only snacks for an outing that for whatever reason lasts longer than expected. And family hikes are different from individual or couple hikes. There are more members to care for and keep an eye on. A lot of this tends to be learned through experience, and trail-and-error, unless one has more experienced people to consult with.

JG and EC had been hiking in the area for years, though we don't know for sure if they had much experience with doing so in high temps. You'd think that they would, but this may have been the first time they took the baby and dog.

I see this as more global-warming related, than Covid-related. People planning outdoor recreation in the future will have to be more mindful of the potential for temperature spikes and the like.

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I see this as more global-warming related, than Covid-related. People planning outdoor recreation in the future will have to be more mindful of the potential for temperature spikes and the like.

If you haven't been affected by Covid and its changes to our daily life, you're luckier than I and my friends and family. J and G moved to Mariposa in part because of Covid, as I've read. Until fairly recently Public and Social Life shut down, including yoga studios, restaurants, libraries, playgroups. Anything that may have helped the GC's adjust to their new life. Life migrated online. Covid, imho, is just one of the factors in this Perfect Storm. I believe failure to adjust to our changing world-- albeit CChange and Covid-- played a part here.

While all of you are wishing they'd been better prepared for their hike, I've been wishing they'd had friends with a child who could have come over for brunch and spent a lovely day around their pool. ie. Life before Covid.