Mysterious death of a family going out for a walk

“This is a very unusual and unique situation,” the county sheriff’s office said. Mariposa, in California. They evoke the mysterious case of a family and his dog: they went for a nature walk and two days later found them all dead in the area, with no clear indication of what had happened. Researchers are trying to determine possible causes.

Briton John Gerrish -living in the countryside-, his wife Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter Miju and their pet were found dead last Tuesday on a hiking trail near Hite Cove in the Sierra National Forest. “There is no evidence of trauma, no obvious cause for the death. Not a suicide note either, ” Police Department spokeswoman Kristie Mitchell said. Known for its spectacular views of wildflowers, there was no cell phone service on site.

At first, it was speculated that the deaths were linked to potentially toxic gases from nearby old mines. The authorities have therefore decided to declare this zone a “hazardous materials zone”. However, on August 18, this statement was dropped. For his part, Police Chief Jeremy Briese said he did not believe mines were a factor causing the deaths.

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Now, researchers are examining whether toxic algal blooms or other dangers could have killed everyone. However, Briese said in this regard: “We are not sure”. On July 13, the United States Forest Service alerted its Facebook account to the presence of these algae in the Merced River, near the path where the bodies were. “The Sierra Nacional Forest (SNF) would like to inform visitors who like to enjoy this area of ​​the Merced River and the SNF, that they should not enter, swim or allow their pets to enjoy the water. This is due to the toxic algae that have formed and are present, “they said at the time. It is not known if the family entered the river.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that exposure to these algae can cause “vomiting, headache, eye irritation, muscle weakness, dizziness.” The bodies were taken to the Mariposa coroner’s office for autopsies and toxicology tests.