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A California family who died while hiking in August in high temperatures tried unsuccessfully to send a series of text messages and pleas for help to family members.
The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office released some of Jonathan Gerrish’s cellphone data on Thursday that was the result of months of work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s forensic team, which revealed that the husband and father had texted “Can you help us.” He also wrote “No water or worm (too much) heating with baby,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The text messages were not sent due to poor cellphone service in the area where the family was hiking, investigators said.
CALIFORNIAN 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 one-year-old daughter and dog. The family and the 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 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 to use their cell phones to call and text for help, but were unsuccessful, according to the sheriff’s office.
The two made five calls to family members, all shortly after, but neither connected.
CALIFORNIAN AUTHORITIES TURN TO CELL PHONE DATA AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN MYSTERIOUS FAMILY DEATHS
The hiking trail map shows where the Gerrish family was found dead in August.
(United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service)
A report in the fall said the family died of extreme heat stroke, as temperatures reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit when they ran out of water and there was little shade. The family was found more than 2.5 km from where their vehicle was parked.
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Sierra National Forest. A Northern California family and their dog were found dead during a trial hike in the forest.
(United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service)
The family was reported missing by a friend after Gerrish, a former Google software engineer, failed to show up for work.
Fox News Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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