CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #5

[dalsglen]

Just seen this awful story, the whole family found deceased on a trail with no injuries.

Speculation in the article that it could be carbon monoxide or toxic algae exposure. So sad whatever the case.

Missing couple, their baby and dog are found dead in remote California hiking area | Daily Mail Online

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[Tiff23fr]

Mod Note:

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[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

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[CocoChanel]

A MOD WARNING

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[CocoChanel]

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[Tiff23fr]

Please Continue Here….

 

[PerplexedPatty]

Here’s the list of things ruled out as of today, 09/30/21
Gun or any other type of weapon
Lightning Strike
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Dioxide
Cyanide Exposure
Illegal Drugs / Alcohol
Suicide

more: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article254655352.html

 

[jonjon747]

From the latest update release, they're still waiting on the toxic algae results.

I still have much doubt that drinking a little amount of toxic algae would kill the healthy couple that fast.
If they were lot older or had some serious debilitating health issues? maybe.

They had to be drinking a quite amount of water with high concentration of algae bloom or cynobacteria to die from it IMO.

Wouldn't a high level of cynobacteria presence be also detected easily in the autopsies?

 

[PerplexedPatty]

I’m most eager for the remaining tox’ results. Specifically, from the water container the couple had. Sheriff B’s reluctance to address completed and outstanding tests is curious, imo.
I find it entirely reasonable to believe somehow the water in the bladder was contaminated with a still unknown fatal toxin prior to their trip, and 3/4 consumed it, the fourth unable to continue on succumbed to heat and dehydration.
Since interviews are still being conducted, I rule out environmental factors.
To be clear, I am not implicating anyone, this is speculation and I have no idea where Gerrish-Chung filled the bladder. Possibly someone had used it before them and some type of unknown contaminant remained in it.
All MOO/hypothetical

 

[Speculaytor]

Here’s the list of things ruled out as of today, 09/30/21
Gun or any other type of weapon
Lightning Strike
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Dioxide
Cyanide Exposure
Illegal Drugs / Alcohol
Suicide

more: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article254655352.html

I was just going to post the same thing from this Yahoo article, with police interview. The officer did mention that natural related events such as heat and dehydration have not been ruled out yet. He said it was a demanding hike. I just wonder if it was a combination of things. Swimming in toxic algae and the gas it emits, and the high temp in exposed sun (your body heats up fast).
Cause of deaths of California family on hike remains mystery

 

[PerplexedPatty]

If the bladder had not been thoroughly cleaned from previous use, would deadly bacteria grow?

 

[PerplexedPatty]

I was just going to post the same thing from this Yahoo article, with police interview. The officer did mention that natural related events such as heat and dehydration have not been ruled out yet. He said it was a demanding hike. I just wonder if it was a combination of things. Swimming in toxic algae and the gas it emits, and the high temp in exposed sun (your body heats up fast).
Cause of deaths of California family on hike remains mystery

We need an ongoing list of remaining possibilities. Moo

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

I would like to commend @SpideySense and the other lighting enthusiast (can't remember the handle) for the great sleuthing. You get a Runner Up Award. You put a lot of work into it, and made a persuasive argument. I learned a lot about lightning because you made me do it. I disagreed, but I admire your sleuthing skills, you are both really smart people. @SpideySense I only admire you more because you jumped right in with your "eat crow" post. I will also eat crow if it's not heat stroke.

 

[Parsnip]

I would like to commend @SpideySense and the other lighting enthusiast (can't remember the handle) for the great sleuthing. You get a Runner Up Award. You put a lot of work into it, and made a persuasive argument. I learned a lot about lightning because you made me do it. I disagreed, but I admire your sleuthing skills, you are both really smart people. @SpideySense I only admire you more because you jumped right in with your "eat crow" post. I will also eat crow if it's not heat stroke.

Hear, hear! And seconded on all counts !

 

[rahod1]

I commend all those here who have offered alternate explanations to HS. Those delving onto lightening, namely @SpideySense, have done a remarkable job. KUDOS.
MOO>> I have always maintained and continue to maintain, that HEAT was the culprit in this tragedy.

 

[PerplexedPatty]

6 More Causes of Death Ruled Out for Calif. Family Who Mysteriously Died on Hiking Trail

Really nothing new.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

responding to @RedHaus from previous thread -- yes, I suppose I was being naïve about pesticides in that I was only thinking about their legal use. I do agree that a much wider risk applies to offlabel use, including carelessness, accident, and intentional harm. I just had a hard time picturing more-or-less sudden death from them, unless they were directly consumed in quantity.

I still think it's unlikely to play a role here but I hear what you're saying and respect and trust your knowledge.

*** I also mentioned multiple times about hoping LE had tested the soil around the family's location. But really I hope LE tested soil along the entire length of trail the family is presumed to have covered.

Because if they did react to something toxic, or if there is evidence such as vomit or other bodily fluids, that might have happened prior to the family's last location.

I don't want to make the mistake of assuming that whatever happened to them, happened to them at that spot. That's as far as they got, but the problem, and possible evidence of the problem, could have started at an earlier time and different location. MOO

 

[Curious_in_NC]

I would like to commend @SpideySense and the other lighting enthusiast (can't remember the handle) for the great sleuthing. You get a Runner Up Award. You put a lot of work into it, and made a persuasive argument. I learned a lot about lightning because yonu made me do it. I disagreed, but I admire your sleuthing skills, you are both really smart people. @SpideySense I only admire you more because you jumped right in with your "eat crow" post. I will also eat crow if it's not heat stroke.

I think the other lightning proponent was @Blackkettle. Some pretty impressive weather sleuthing.

 

[RickshawFan]

I was on about the lightning (along with a few other posters, e.g. @Seni ) at the beginning of Thread #1. I've been in and out since, but I'm irritated to find out my ahead-of-its-time, cutting-edge, et al., BRILLIANT, astute, remarkable, idea has been nuked by LE. Sigh.
All signs are now pointing to........
IMO LE did the diplomatic thing and said everything the cause couldn't be rather than what no one else wants to say because it seems just too crazy, namely, the family went out hiking that trail, in that heat, for a good length of time. No one wants to believe they made that choice. But from the long list of non-causes, it would seem that's where we are.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

If the bladder had not been thoroughly cleaned from previous use, would deadly bacteria grow?

Some pretty funky bacteria could grow in one but it seems unlikely any of those would incapacitate a family together at the same time. More likely it would lead to GI issues.

That said, is it a possible homicide scenario where someone said, "Here, take my camelback with you on the hike tomorrow. I just filled it with fresh water", and gave them a water supply with an unknown toxin? Were they ever known to use a Camelback? I have wondered how exactly a Camelback could be used together with a backpack style baby carrier.