A new report sheds light on the deaths of a California hiking couple who were with their baby.
The deaths of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their baby Miju remained a mystery for several weeks. A new report finally sheds light on what caused the death of this family who went hiking in the mountains of the Sierra National Forest. According to the “San Francisco Chronicle», The parents and their child died of hyperthermia and possibly of dehydration. “Unfortunately, I think they were trapped and when they realized what situation they were in, they died trying to save their child,” said an expert quoted by the American media. “It seems most likely that the child died first, which precipitated the efforts of parents on the mountain. But when one failed to keep moving, he stayed where he was, taking care of their child and their dog, while the other kept trying to find help. It is a tragedy of the greatest order, ”explained this expert. KFSN and the San Francisco Chronicle obtained a copy of the 77-page investigation report.
“They seemed totally oblivious to the danger”
Jonathan Gerrish, a 45-year-old Snapchat engineer, the baby and dog were found dead in a certain area and 31-year-old yoga teacher Ellen Chung was alone at another location at an altitude higher. According to a witness who crossed their path, “they seemed totally unaware of the danger they could run in these mountains” and did not seem prepared.
The authorities initially explained that they were investigating possible hazardous materials, in particular carbon monoxide, possibly from old mines in the region. But County Sheriff Jeremy Briese later canceled that lead, saying there were no mines around where the bodies were. Then, toxic algae were put forward as a possible lead to this tragedy. ABC reported at the time that authorities closed several kilometers of the Merced River, where high levels of toxic algae had been detected. The Bureau of Land Management also shut down recreational airs along the river between the towns of Briceburg and Bagby on Friday after receiving test results from water samples taken downstream from where the family is dead. Algae are said to have proliferated in this shallow, warm stream. But this theory ended up being abandoned there too. The report concluded that the extreme heat, rough terrain and poor preparation caused the death of the family.
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