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This article shows photos of the area, & also mentions that wild turkeys are in the area where the family was found. So I agree that would seem to rule out any toxic gas fumes as cause of death. Birds would perish much sooner than humans, due to the smaller size.
"Toxic algae", my foot. Where's all the other dead wildlife? If it was toxic enough to suddenly drop and kill an entire family and their dog, there should be dead birds and stuff all over the area. Who are they kidding?
Wanna bet this turns out to be another "flares and weather balloons explanation". Aren't we already being set up to accept that?
And if they suspect toxic algae, why would it take six weeks to discover that during an autopsy? Is it that difficult to detect, even if you are looking for it specifically?
You should educate yourself about toxic blue-green algae. Also educate yourself about California, how hot it gets. I spent most of my life in California & spent a lot of time camping & hiking in the Sierra NF, where this happened. So many people think that if they are hiking in a "forest", that it will be shady & cool. They go hiking mid-day in summer & don't bring enough water to stay hydrated.
I can see that happening with this couple. The husband was highly educated but maybe not informed about outdoor survival. He and wife's judgment may have been effected by heat & dehydration, & if their baby & pup were sick, they may have panicked, which further clouded their judgment about how to safely proceed.
An article posted by SFGate 6 hours ago (Sunday), rehashes what we already know, and adds at the end:
Quote:
Their death is being handled as a hazmat and coroner investigation.
So, if this is accurate, it hasn't been, or no longer is being, classified as a murder or murder/suicide investigation. This is all the update we get for now, if you could even call it that.
Unless there's some kind of unusual breakthrough, we may not get a significant update until toxicology results come back.
Also educate yourself about California, how hot it gets. I spent most of my life in California & spent a lot of time camping & hiking in the Sierra NF, where this happened. So many people think that if they are hiking in a "forest", that it will be shady & cool. They go hiking mid-day in summer & don't bring enough water to stay hydrated.
I've lived in California for over 50 years and have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours outdoors in the summer--summer camps in the mountains, hiking, backpacking, climbing, biking, you name it. While what you say is basically true and should be heeded by newbies, by all accounts this couple were experienced (not just "educated") hikers and it doesn't sound to me like they just made newbie mistakes like not bringing enough water into the desert.
There was certainly shade available. If they were suffering from the heat, why were they not under a tree or bush, or at the base of a big rock, to get as much shade as possible until it cooled down in the evening?
Anyway, 90-100F is hot, but it's normal summer heat. It's not Death Valley. It's not even hotter than most places in the country get in August. The couple had lived in the area for over a year and were familiar with the climate. In a dry climate like that, those temperatures are not going to make three acclimated people and a dog keel over simultaneously, especially a baby who's being carried, not even walking.
And why was there still water left in a flask? If you're dying of dehydration, you don't save water for later. The pieces don't fit together for heatstroke / dehydration, not for four living beings at the same time.
As someone who lived in CA for 25 years and was an avid hiker in all kinds of weather, I'm really kind of surprised how judgmental a lot of the comments are about people - who were experienced hikers and undoubted took water with them - taking such a short hike in hot weather. I cannot see how heat could kill 3 people and a dog simultaneously.
Simple, all four had a similar biology. They all needed water. They all could become over heated in high temperature. They were all in a moderately high temperature environment, with little to no water. So I don't see why it would be surprising that they all died at approximately the same time.
By the way, there is no evidence that they all died simultaneously. All we know is that they all died in the same approximately 24 hour period. Actually I think there is pretty good evidence they did not all die simultaneously. It appears the male succumbed first.
Presumably they were all adequately hydrated when they began the hike and took what they assumed would be enough water and, finally, still had water left when they were found.
I'm not buying the "four lives simultaneously snuffed out by insufficient water in a few hours" theory.
However, the way people can't walk two steps without holding a plastic water bottle these days, I can see where many would believe this.
Presumably they were all adequately hydrated when they began the hike and took what they assumed would be enough water and, finally, still had water left when they were found.
I'm not buying the "four lives simultaneously snuffed out by insufficient water in a few hours" theory.
However, the way people can't walk two steps without holding a plastic water bottle these days, I can see where many would believe this.
Me either.
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Simple, all four had a similar biology. They all needed water. They all could become over heated in high temperature. They were all in a moderately high temperature environment, with little to no water. So I don't see why it would be surprising that they all died at approximately the same time.
By the way, there is no evidence that they all died simultaneously. All we know is that they all died in the same approximately 24 hour period. Actually I think there is pretty good evidence they did not all die simultaneously. It appears the male succumbed first.
Moderately high temperature. If those temperatures were lethal, people wouldn't be able to live in the Southwest at all. They had little water left when they died, but not no water. There was shade available, but they weren't in the shade. And what about the dog? To me the dog is the biggest question mark in the whole crazy story.
I would be most interested in knowing if the dog was tied up in any way (leash fastened to one of the people's bodies or to a tree, etc.) or if it was free but just found along with them. That would really narrow down the possibilities as I don't believe that a dog who was free to move around would just stand by watching everyone die from dehydration/heat stroke. Dogs are smart enough to get into the shade and/or go look for water.
Three people dead + living dog could possibly be a heat stroke or dehydration situation. All of them dead, no. Unless the dog was confined in some way.
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