Found Deceased AK - Jaxson Brown, 5, hiking w/mom, Ketchikan, 26 Mar 2020

[TGIRecovered]

My grandson weighs 70 pounds and I am 57 years old. I am not quite 5’3”, 120 lbs. I don’t work out. I’m not muscular at all. But I still give him a piggyback rides because it’s fun. We’ve done this since he was a baby. He was over at my house for a few hours yesterday and when he climbed up on something I went over there and turned my back and he hopped right on. I didn’t carry him far but it’s just something we do that makes him giggle. If I had to carry that boy down a mountain I would find a way to do it or die trying.

Having said that unless he was injured in someway I can’t imagine even having to carry him down the mountain because he could walk with me. We could take breaks when he was tired.

I would never walk away when he was tired saying, “OK bye-bye I’m leaving without you.”, like I’ve seen many cruel parents do when their little ones are sick, exhausted, thirsty, hungry, crying , too hot or too cold or just in need of a hug and a break.

I’m not saying that’s what happened in this case because we don’t know. We don’t know what the intentions were when she started up the mountain, with a 5 year old, too late to return from the hike before dark.

Did she take a flashlight? Were they appropriately dressed for the drop in temperature that comes with darkness? Did she tell anyone that they were going to go on a hike before she left? Did she have a cell phone and were there spots on the trail that she could have had cellular service?

I hope this turns out to be something that happened because of extenuating circumstances and not deliberate. If a person had medical issues or was not thinking straight because of a temporary mental problem like severe depression or a catastrophic situation, itcould be true that she was just disoriented and not able to make good decisions.

 

[Coffiecat]

My grandson weighs 70 pounds and I am 57 years old. I am not quite 5’3”, 120 lbs. I don’t work out.
I hope this turns out to be something that happened because of extenuating circumstances and not deliberate. If a person had medical issues or was not thinking straight because of a temporary mental problem like severe depression or a catastrophic situation, itcould be true that she was just disoriented and not able to make good decisions.

His mom 23 years younger, looks 6" taller, and not frail appearing. But there was the separated shoulder a few months ago.

MOO*
I really hope this isn't covering for an abusive boyfriend who had previously misplaced a woman, cold & wet, in the woods.

 

[Catmommy]

They went on and on until they were slogging in knee deep snow before turning around? A five year old was taken on a hike that couldn't be easily retraced in a matter of several minutes versus hours? He got tired of hiking and was left all alone rather than Mom staying with him until he was rested enough to continue together? None of this makes any sense, in my opinion, and if it doesn't make sense then it didn't happen like THIS. Poor, poor baby. My heart hurts.

 

[Coffiecat]

خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏


Tongass National Forest - Lunch Creek Trail

 

[scapa]

This is a weird one. We've hiked and walked with our kids since they were little, but the idea of a 5 mile/10k hike late in the day and in difficult conditions with either at the age of 5 would have been an absolute non-starter, even if we'd been well-equipped. Kids at that age tire quickly, get fussy and grouchy, worried and panicky, and often can't be relied on to follow simple instructions, let alone stay under a tree by themselves "until help comes."

And if it comes to it, even coaxing/hectoring and sometimes-walking sometimes-carrying a kid beats leaving them alone on a trail. I am deeply sorry for the little guy's family and friends, but this story just doesn't make sense to me, from beginning to end.

 

[Gumbeaux]

I lived in Alaska for many years. In no way does this outing sound normal to me. Even my most hard core adventuring friends only take their little ones to well established, more urban trails in winter. And I use the term “urban” loosely for Alaska.

My heart aches for this precious little boy, and like some of you, expecting to hear the rest of the story.

 

[nye bevan]

but the idea of a 5 mile/10k hike late in the day and in difficult conditions [...] at the age of 5

snip

Say no more. Sums up what didn't happen.

 

[YaYa_521]

Bless his little soul. So sorry to read this update. Prayers for his loved ones.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Searchers find body of 5-year-old Ketchikan boy missing after hike went awry, troopers say

Sad!

So very sad to read this. Thoughts and prayers for comfort to Jaxon's loved ones.

Fly high sweet boy!

 

[Catmommy]

I'm trying hard to reserve further judgement but I truly cannot imagine any mamma leaving her special baby in the cold and dark all alone. I pray that angels scooped him up quickly and he suffered fear and hunger and loneliness the least amount of time possible. <modsnip >

 

[Presley78]

I’m currently laying next to my 6 yr old son who is also named Jaxson and looks and acts just like this adorable boy did. RIH little man.

MOO- not having a good feeling about this one...
Not knowing all of the information makes it difficult to imagine the circumstances. But if I broke an ankle I’d drag my leg or hobble to my son. Yell, scream or anything. Not sleep alone in the woods knowing he’s out there alone too. My son is terrified of the dark- hence why he’s next to me.

 

[MissUnderstood]

Curious if the knee deep snow was up to mums knees or Jaxons. Usually when describing something like that I would say knee deep if it was up to my knees. That could be up to a five year olds thighs!!! That’s a hard slog trying to move in thigh deep snow.
MOO

 

[katydid23]

They went on and on until they were slogging in knee deep snow before turning around? A five year old was taken on a hike that couldn't be easily retraced in a matter of several minutes versus hours? He got tired of hiking and was left all alone rather than Mom staying with him until he was rested enough to continue together? None of this makes any sense, in my opinion, and if it doesn't make sense then it didn't happen like THIS. Poor, poor baby. My heart hurts.

It seems odd to me as well. Even if my 5 yr old was really really tired of walking, I think they would rather try that as opposed to being left alone in the woods. Even if we had to stop many times and rest, it would be better than separating.

It is heartbreaking, no matter the circumstances....

 

[katydid23]

Curious if the knee deep snow was up to mums knees or Jaxons. Usually when describing something like that I would say knee deep if it was up to my knees. That could be up to a five year olds thighs!!! That’s a hard slog trying to move in thigh deep snow.
MOO

And why would one go for a 'walk' in deep snow, a couple of hours before dark, alone with a little one? I am not understanding this part either.

 

[ColyH]

I agree. I don’t know this area, maybe we have a local?
Is it normal to hike in snow? And aren’t there COVID-19 restrictions? I know where I live our parks etc are closed.

I am not a local but I worked a summer in Ketchikan. I arrived the first week of April and a few things I learned of the area:

• The weather that time of year is very stormy. You can get high winds and a heavy down pour at anytime.
• The town this time of the year is dead because there are no cruise ships coming in so no business for the town. Locals pretty much stay home anyway except for essential business so the quarantine really doesn't change their life much with the exception of school closing down.
• When you arrive in Ketchikan and you go inland you start to go up in elevation quickly and go far enough you can run into deep snow even in April.
• I have never taken Lunch Creek Trail but I have been to Settler's Cove which the farthest north you can drive a car. The entire road from St. George's Inlet in the south to Settler's Cove in the north is about 30 miles.

Any local would know that as you go farther inland you run into deep snow and there is no way she didn't know that. I am not sure if she planned to leave him there or she wasn't very bright but she made foolish choice after foolish choice on the day of the hike.

 

[Coffiecat]

Mom's easily 5'9 and likely closer to 6', and he looked average for 5. Why press on at all, if there was snow? They found his shoe (wildlife or fell off while being carried in?), not the lace up boot one would expect, if you'd consider trudging through snow and mud. There are a lot of wooden steps and walkways, from pics taken by various visitors and posted on the web. I saw no signs of outdoorsiness in her, besides parties around a fire. I really hope she was just frustrated with cabin fever, and incompetent in the wilderness. Thursday night was 35 degrees in town, but between ocean breeze and them at higher elevations, hypothermia is possible, but it was 29 the night they were together. If the timeline pans out. They spent Wednesday night together, but he was still to tired to walk?

From my first read, the phrase "placed the boy in a dry spot" concerned me. From the hundred pictures of their faces squished together, from him as a baby til recent, I'd think cozier terms would be used. Sure, a severe bone break can cloud thinking and make speech odd, but her only child... She has the usual single mom getting by issues, and the sudden drop off in SM posts, or at least public ones, ugh.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I.
Just.
Don't.
Know.

 

[Blondiexoxo]

I just get Letecia Stauch ‘hike’ vibes....
Hoping I’m wrong

 

[Blondiexoxo]

I’m currently laying next to my 6 yr old son who is also named Jaxson and looks and acts just like this adorable boy did. RIH little man.

MOO- not having a good feeling about this one...
Not knowing all of the information makes it difficult to imagine the circumstances. But if I broke an ankle I’d drag my leg or hobble to my son. Yell, scream or anything. Not sleep alone in the woods knowing he’s out there alone too. My son is terrified of the dark- hence why he’s next to me.

I agree! Broken ankle or not I’d drag myself to my child, assuming a mobile phone was unavailable which in itself is also strange to me. I haven’t seen any mention of a phone but if she was out there in the snow, with a child, in the dark, without a phone then that just throws up even more questions. I think I’d have to be completely physically incapacitated or passing out from blood loss or hypothermia before I’d leave my child alone in these conditions.
MOO

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

I.
Just.
Don't.
Know.

Sitting on my hands.