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A California family that died while hiking in August during high temperatures unsuccessfully attempted to send a series of texts and calls for help to family members.
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released some of Jonathan Gerrish’s cellphone data that was the result of months of work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s forensics team, which revealed that the husband and father sent a text stating “Can you help us.” He also wrote “No water or ver (over) heating with baby,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The text messages were not sent because of poor cellphone service in the area where the family was hiking, the investigators said.
CALIFORNIA FAMILY FOUND DEAD ON HIKING TRAIL DIED OF EXTREME HEAT, DEHYDRATION, AUTHORITIES SAY
John Gerrish and Ellen Chung had recently moved to the Marisopa area with their 1-year-old daughter and dog. The family and dog all died of extreme heat and dehydration.
(Steven Jeffe)
Jonathan Gerrish, 41, Ellen Chung, 31, and Aurelia “Miju” Chung-Gerrish, 1, and the family’s dog were found dead on a hiking trail on August 17, 2021 near the Merced River in the Sierra National Forest.
Gerrish and Chung attempted using their cellphones to call and text for help, but were unsuccessful, according to the sheriff’s office.
The two placed five calls to family members, all shortly after one another, but none of them connected.
CALIFORNIA AUTHORITIES TURN TO CELLPHONE DATA AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN MYSTERIOUS DEATHS OF FAMILY
The hiking trail map shows where the Gerrish family was found dead in August.
(U.S Department of Agriculture, Forest Service)
A report released in the fall reveled that the family died of extreme heat stroke, as temperatures were as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit when they ran out of water, and there was little shade. The family was found more than 1.5 miles from where their vehicle was parked.
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Sierra National Forest. A Northern California family and their dog were found dead on a hiking trial in the forest.
(U.S Department of Agriculture, Forest Service)
The family was reported missing by a friend after Gerrish, a former Google software engineer, did not show up at work.
Fox News Louis Casiano and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
