John and Ellen married in 2019 and had moved to Mariposa County from San Francisco after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, to enjoy the outdoors, after starting working from home on a permanent basis. It is located on the South Fork of the Merced River, 4.5 miles west-southwest of El Portal, at an elevation of 1578 feet and accessed via Hites Cove Road. The trail was closed until September 26, or sooner "if conditions change" around the area. A witness saw the family on theHites Cove trail on Aug. 15, where they embarked on a 2.2-mile walk to a U.S. Forest Service trail parallel to the south fork of the Merced River with an elevation of 1,930 feet. Hyperthermia, toxic algal blooms, bacterial contamination, and escaping gas from abandoned gold mines were among the possibilities under investigation by the Sherrifs office. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? The department also provided a more detailed timeline of events leading up to the mysterious deaths; dad Jonathan Gerrish had researched the Hites Cove hike on a phone app on August 14, the day before they set out. Gregory Yee was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Family of 3 found dead in remote hiking area, Family of 3 found dead in remote California hiking area. The body is unable to regulate its temperature and cool down. Their 1-year-old daughter, Aurelia Miju Chung-Gerrish, and dog, Oski, were with them. Here are the world's 25 best beaches and top 10 in the U.S. Elizabeth Holmes has second child, seeks to delay prison. "The Sierra National Forest (SNF) would like to inform those visitors who like to enjoy this area of the Merced River and SNF, not to swim, wade or allow their pets to enjoy the water," due to these mats, the agency warned. Up to 20 copies of the Report of Death, issued at the time of death, will be provided by the embassy or consulate free of charge. When the deputies found the truck, a search-and-rescue team hiked down the steep and straight road with flashlights and found shoe and paw prints similar to what would be expected from a family of that size with a dog. Gab Song, 73, of Torrance was found Thursday by a private citizen in the Lockwood Valley community in northeast Ventura County, officials said. Law enforcement are "investigating possible lightning strikes" in the Hite Cove area of the Sierra National Forest, along the South Fork of the Merced River, where Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung . Browse All 16,700 Images. None were successful because of lack of cell service in the area. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. Rosanna Heaslett told News4SA that the couple regularly went hiking on weekends, but had not returned or turned up for work on Monday morning. 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Sheriff Jeremy Briese said the department is continuing working closely with a toxicologist, environmental specialist, the FBI and other specialists. The water bladder was empty when the bodies were found, he said. Feds charge two with robbing two San Francisco banks during the same day, Winds shred tarp, leave historic San Jose building exposed to elements, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan up for parole again, brother says he can live with him in Pasadena, One charged with murder, second suspect released, in mass shootout that killed teen at Oakland music video shoot. Investigators are hoping that autopsies and toxicology tests will ultimately reveal more about what happened in this tragic story. . It was 75 degrees when they began the hike around 8 a.m., but temperatures climbed swiftly as they descended. Gerrish only entered way points, or point-to-point mapping, which the Sheriffs Office said does not calculate the exact mileage and elevation changes on the trail. This trail is therefore very popular from February to April. "This is a real tragedy," Mariposa County Sheriff-Coroner Jeremy Briese said Thursday at a press conference. Many potential causes of death were ruled out during the course of the investigation, including suicide, weapons, illegal drugs, and lightning strikes, according to report by the San Francisco Chronicle. The already-outlandish theories of toxic algae or a gas leak from the mines below have even begun to lose weight. Kristie Mitchell said. Following toxicology testing, on September 30, 2021, the Mariposa County Sherriffs office confirmed that further investigations had meant that the following had been ruled out as a cause of death: Gun or any other type of weapon, Lightning Strike, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Cyanide Exposure, Illegal Drugs / Alcohol, and Suicide. Investigators briefly considered the possibility that the family may have been exposed to toxic fumes from nearby abandoned mines. "That is why we're treating it as a hazmat situation. Their vehicle was spotted around 7:45 a.m. headed toward the Hite Cove trailhead, elevation 3,800 feet. Joshua Bote is the tech editor at SFGATE. Get to know this 6.5-mile out-and-back trail near El Portal, California. There are at least 3,000 abandoned mines from Californias 19th-century Gold Rush in the area. But algal mats, because they're clinging onto the rocks, wouldn't flow down the stream. About 1.5 miles down the switchbacks, around 11 am, the team found the family in the middle of the trail. A witness saw the family on the Hites Cove trail on Aug. 15, where they embarked on a 2.2-mile walk to a U.S. Forest Service trail parallel to the south fork of the Merced River with an. She has a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Connecticut and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. The couple were described by friends as experienced hikers. When the bodies were found, the area was briefly designated a hazmat site or an area that may have "hazardous materials" to a person's health; the designation was lifted the next day, according to NPR. Briese said that the family had an 85-ounce water bladder backpack along with snacks and a bottle that contained baby formula. Physical force and violence were quickly ruled out, as was toxic gas from an abandoned mine shaft. Temperature along the section of trail ranged between 107 and 109 degrees from 2:50 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. the day the family was hiking, before cooling slightly from 4:50 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. from 105 to 89 degrees, according to the release, which said they hiked about 2 miles up the trail. "We do not have any evidence indicating that Jonathan, Ellen or Miju ingested any of that water," he said. Friends were unable to reach Gerrish or Chung and reported the family missing at 11 p.m. CBS San Francisco reports investigators said this week they were still unsure of what killed the family. This collection includes a set of records for . Police said the dog's official cause of death is undetermined, but its remains and other evidence suggest it also died from heat-related causes. However, the question why can never be answered and will remain with us.. In October, Sheriff Jeremy Briese revealed that an investigation found the family and their dog had died of heat-related illness and probable dehydration. Last week they ruled out that possible gases from a nearby mine could've been the culprit. Explore one of 20 easy hiking trails in Frankfurt am Main or discover kid-friendly routes for . The area was so remote, rescuers had to hike back out to get satellite phone reception to report their grim find. / CBS News. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Gerrish was 45 and Chung was 30. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Much of the route, inside the Ferguson Fire footprint, has little shade, and temperatures on Aug. 15 reached 109 in the area. A Northern California family who were found dead in a remote hiking area are believed to have been killed by hyperthermia and probable dehydration, the Mariposa County sheriff said Thursday. Explore the most popular trails in my list YNP. A hazmat situation was declared after the bodes were found, but was eventually lifted. However, the cause of death remained unknown and mysterious. We use cookies. For those with nothing nice to say, go screw yourselves, said one family friend in response to the sheriffs office post. Lightning may have been what killed the family of three and their dog. Sheriff's Deputy Kristie Mitchell told the Fresno Bee that because of mines in the area, and because there was no obvious cause of death, the scene was being treated as a HAZMAT situation. Such blooms are caused by algae or cyanobacteria that grow in the water and can release toxins that can sometimes poison animals, such as cattle or dogs, according to The California Department of Public Health. Investigators believe they have finally determined what killed John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter Muji, and their 8-year-old Akita mix, Oski. John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, and their one-year-old daughter Miju, were found dead on Monday, August 16, 2021, near Devils Gulch in the Sierra National Forest, along with their pet dog, Oski. Law enforcement are "investigating possible lightning strikes" in the Hite Cove area of the Sierra National Forest, along the South Fork of the Merced River, where Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog, Oski, were found dead, with no visible signs of trauma, on Aug. 17, the New York Times reports. Poison oak is also present along the trail, a plant that, when burnt, produces toxins capable of causing respiratory distress, although there were no fires known to be burning in the area at the time of the deaths. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was also requested to assist. They had not been seen since Saturday; their final social media post was uploaded at 6:45 AM Sunday morning: a picture of the baby backpack the couple carry their daughter in. The photos corroborated the sheriffs office investigation. Family members of Gerrish and Chung released a statement included in the news release thanking the Sheriffs Office for the time and resources dedicated to the investigation into the deaths. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Federal park officials have ordered the closure of a trail in California's Mariposa County where three family members and their dog were found dead from unknown causes earlier this month. While the exact cause of the dog's death was not determined, Sheriff Jeremy Briese said the condition of his remains and other evidence also pointed to "heat related issues. Low 24F. [name redacted] can you help us, the text message, sent at 11:56 a.m., read. California State Water Resources Control Board and Mariposa County said they were continuing to test waterways in the area for any toxic algae and cyanobacterial toxins. "These algal blooms can produce toxins that can make people and pets extremely sick," says BLM field manager Elizabeth Meyer-Shields. The trail the family was hiking, the Savage Lundy Trail, snakes along the Merced River. Investigators revealed the family had completed most of the grueling 8.5-mile loop and were on their way back to their truck when they died on a steep switchback. Mariposa County sheriffs investigators had already ruled out several potential causes: a gun or any other weapon, a lightning strike, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyanide, illegal drugs, alcohol or suicide. "We're processing the scene right now. hide caption. Investigators quickly tried to determine if the phone saved any failed text message drafts, attempted calls, or photos, along with GPS location data. A family reported missing in Mariposa County late Monday was found dead, according to the Sheriff's Office. The married couple, Jonathan Gerrish and Ellen Chung, along with their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog, Oski, were all found dead, inexplicably, on Aug. 17 on a steep switchback trail roughly 1.5 miles from where they parked their car. As Ive mentioned, the Gerrish Chung family have been our top priority as we dealt with this horrible event.. The California Department of Public Health said it did not know of any human deaths from recreational or drinking water exposure to cyanobacterial toxin, although some animals have been killed by algae. Autopsies on the bodies were completed on Thursday, August 19. First published on September 1, 2021 / 9:48 AM. We have no timeline for those pending results.". On Friday, officials announced that 28 miles of public area along the Merced River downstream from where the family was found were closed off after high levels of toxic algae were discovered in the water. At that point, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office confirmed the shocking news that the family died of hyperthermia and probable dehydration, while their 8-year-old dog Oski also suffered a heat-related death. The two reportedly wanted to raise Miju in a "quiet, slow-paced environment" surrounded by nature. The news sheds light on a case that has confounded investigators and the public and raised new questions about outdoor recreational activities in an era of rising temperatures and climate fueled extreme weather. ", Jeremy Briese, the sheriff of Mariposa County, said the deaths had confounded him and his team, Ive been here for 20 years and Ive never seen a death, with any case, like this. Northern California family's mysterious deaths on hiking trail: The official cause Temperatures on Mariposa County route reached 109, sheriff said The remote canyon area northeast of the town. Yee died Jan. 4, 2023. In addition to the actual records there are indexes which extend beyond these ranges, including marriage indexes up to 1932 and death indexes up to 1978. Gerrish was carrying a phone during the hike. After a friend reported the family missing, searchers discovered the bodies of John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter Miju and their dog, Oski on Tuesday (Aug. 17) in Mariposa County, along the Hite Cove Trail near Devil Gulch. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 1:53 a.m., the family's car is located down Hites Cove Road north of Jerseydale. Sheriff Jeremy Briese said, There are those different options that are out there, mineshafts and off-gassing potential and were learning more with our partners in the Forest Service and public health on the toxicity of the algae blooms that theyre posting about. But Briese said they could not find any disused shafts in the vicinity, We have not found any old mine shafts near the area. Mariposa County Sheriff's Office began a search-and-rescue operation, and located their new dark grey Ford Raptor parked at the Sierra National Forest gate, at the bottom of the trail leading to Hite Cove, a five mile hike. The Devils Gulch area was hit by the Ferguson wildfire, in 2018, that burnt 151 square miles of land, killing two firefighters, causing $171 million of damage. Gerrish and Chung were experienced hikers who had recently moved to Mariposa from San Francisco after falling in love with the area. The Hite Cove trail rolls through the narrow canyon of the south fork of the Merced River. Gerrish was found in a seated position on the trail, with his infant daughter and eight-year-old dog next to him; Chung was discovered a little bit further up the path, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. This is the first hyperthermia cause of death that I've witnessed here in 20 years. Deputies found just one empty water container, an 85oz CamelBak, at the scene. They're still waiting on toxicology reports and apparently also on a test of water taken from a water bladder backpack the couple carried. Hite's cove with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. "Coming across a scene where everyone involved, including the family dog that is deceased, that is not a typical thing that we have seen or other agencies have seen," Mitchell said. . Back when these mines were in operation, their operators could just simply abandon them without removing hazards. Temperatures reached as high as 109 by midafternoon. Mariposa County Sheriff's Office announced the results of several toxicology reports on Thursday none of which revealed what killed John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their one-year-old daughter Muji, and family dog Oski. I-5 closed. Hite Cove itself is an abandoned mining settlement some 4.5 miles (7.2 km) down the trail. Tuesday, Aug. 17: 11 a.m . Among the factors hypothesized were exposure to toxic algal blooms, carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption. Their dedication has allowed us to close this case and answer lingering questions the family had, bringing them a little peace, Briese said in a post. People who swim, wade or participate in other aquatic activities in water laced with cyanobacterial toxins can develop health effects such as skin rashes, diarrhea and vomiting (if they ingest the toxins), or develop problems with the liver, kidneys or nervous system. She was earning her Masters in Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies after having graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012. There were no apparent causes of death or signs of foul play discovered at the scene, the release said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Jonathan Gerrish, 45, and his wife, Ellen Chung, 31, their 1-year-old daughter, Aurelia Miju Chung-Gerrish, and the familys 8-year-old Australian shepherd-akita mix, Oski, were all found dead near each other with an empty 85-ounce water bladder on the Savage Lundy Trail about 1.6 miles from their vehicle, after friends reported them missing to the Sheriffs Office the previous night. "We have not found any old mine shafts near the area," the Sheriff said. The trail had posted warnings about toxic algae blooms. They wished to raise Miju away from a major city and hoped to leave the frantic pace of the San Francisco Bay Area for the calm of nature. Last week, several trails and campgrounds around the Merced River Recreation Site near where the family died were shut down "due to unknown hazards". The searchers believed the family was returning to their truck and in the final stages of their hike back to the Sierra National Forest gate. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, California on August 18, 2021. John was supposed to work Monday and never showed up and that raised more concerns. Residual water from the hydration bladder was also tested, and it was found to be clean, the sheriff said. 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The body of Oski the dog was also examined by veterinary experts at the University of California, Davis. While there is still no evidence to suggest foul play, in the absence of any other explanation, County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said he had no choice but to treat the case as such. The sheriff said toxicology and coroner reports support his investigative findings that the family of three died from heat-related stress. Theres also very little shade along that portion of the trail due to the 2018 Ferguson Fire, the release said. Dr. Eric Sergienko, who serves as health officer for both Mariposa and Tuolumne counties, was involved with the testing of water samples for possible toxic algae. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This trail is therefore very popular from February to April. They continued walking along the 20E01.4 trail that parallels the South Fork of the Merced River for about 1.9 miles toward the intersection with the Savage Lundy Trail, where the elevation is about 1,800 feet and approximate temperature at the time was 99 to 103 degrees, the release said. While algal blooms are not attached to anything, algal mats cling onto the bottom of water, such as on rocks. Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video. You have permission to edit this article. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Science and the San Jose Mercury News. There was also no evidence indicating that Gerrish, Chung or their daughter had ingested any of the river water. Water not far from the trail later tested positive for toxic algae including anatoxin-a, also known as Very Fast Death Factor (VFDF). Investigators are looking into the possibility that toxic algal blooms may be to blame. Indeed, Alan Wilson, a professor at the School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences at Auburn University in Alabama, said that it's unusual for people to die from algal blooms. In Portland, Ore. temperatures reached 108, 112 and 116 degrees over three consecutive days in June. Two photos of a creek or river were taken at 10:29 a.m. The hiking trail included steep and semi-difficult terrain. "You think that even if people were exposed they're not all going to be exposed at the same rate." Wander through the South Fork Merced River valley, along the rushing waters, and through the meadowlands abundant with wildflowers. Thank you for reading! Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. We've looked at lighting strikes in the area. The family was found dead on the Savage Lundy Trail at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 17 with no cause of death immediately apparent. A family of hikers were found dead in . Gerrish and his wife, with their daughter in a backpack-style carrier, and the family dog all left on foot from the Hites Cove Trailhead and walked 2.2 miles down to the U.S. Forest Service Tail 20E01.4, where the elevation dipped to 1,930 feet and approximate temperature at the time they were walking was between 92 and 99 degrees, the release said. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. A few clouds. The investigation is now being treated as a homicide. The bodies were found on Tuesday on a remote hiking trail. Northern California familys mysterious deaths, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for this week, Northern California familys mysterious deaths on hiking trail: The official cause, Map: Familys route before they were found dead on California trail. A helicopter hovers over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, California on August 18, 2021. A family was recently found dead on a hiking trail along the Merced River in a remote area of the Sierra National Forest in California. A sheriffs deputy searching the area found the familys vehicle at the trailhead about 1:50 a.m. Aug. 17 and requested a search-and-rescue mission to be activated, the release said. They called in a second search team that began winding down the switchbacks that complete the loop back up to the Forest Service gate. Friends say the couple, recent transplants from San Francisco to the former Gold Rush town of Mariposa in the western Sierra foothills, were relatively experienced hikers out on a day trip with their infant and dog. Theres no obvious indicators of how it occurred . The release noted that there was only one 85-ounce a little over half of a gallon water bladder found with them, and no other water containers or filtration systems among them. The trails will stay closed until September 26, though that is subject to change. Warrants for the couple's phones and social media accounts were obtained and are currently being scoured by the FBI; searches of their truck and home have turned up nothing of significance so far. The deaths led the Bureau of Land Management to close campgrounds and recreation areas along 28 miles of the river, between the towns of Briceburg and Bagby, when water samples downstream from where the family died showed high levels of the toxic algae. However, temperatures reached a high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the hike. Trail maps, along the rushing waters, and it was in constant sun bodes were,. Backpack the couple carried nothing nice to say, go screw yourselves, said one family friend in response the... About what happened in this tragic story 2021 / 9:48 am water backpack. Little shade along that portion of the town of Mariposa, California possibility that toxic algal blooms can produce that... 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List YNP and leading digital publisher cookies to be clean, the text message, sent at a.m.! Empty water container, an international media group and leading digital publisher of... Test of water taken from a water bladder backpack along with reviews photos., go screw yourselves, said one family friend in response to the 2018 Ferguson,... But it burnt down in 1924, but it burnt down in 1924 from the hydration bladder also!, carbon monoxide or dioxide poisoning and illegal drug or alcohol consumption completed Thursday! Wander through the south fork of the town of Mariposa, California on August 18, 2021, snakes the!, but it burnt down in 1924 a family reported missing in Mariposa County late was! University of California hites cove trail deaths Davis Ive mentioned, the Savage Lundy trail, snakes along the Merced River were hikers. 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