What happened to this California family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

Yes, but why would he waste his energy doing that. It might be better to leave them all, and jog for help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well here’s my theory:

-it was FA
-they started the hike not on the softer/easy part of the trail and looping back to the switchbacks. I think they started at the top with the switchbacks and hiked down a bit into them
-they intentionally orchestrated it to seem like it was heat stroke
-they didn’t want their families or nanny to have to be the ones to find them
-law enforcement knows it was something along these lines
-they closed the trails to avoid looky loos going into the canyon and needing rescue now that there’s been so much media coverage of the case

To answer PPs who think it’s rotten to even speculate about this. I mean, is it really? It’s not like I’m creating a billboard with this theory or going to the media as one of their relatives and spouting this. I’m on a DC based message board, speculating about what happened. If you really think this truly is hurtful or rotten, I’ll refrain from floating this theory again or commenting.

I think part of why we find this case so fascinating and want to figure it out is a lot of us are parents with young kids. We want to believe that things like this don’t just randomly happen. It’s too painful to think we are all just one or two wrong moves away from everyone we love dying. It’s much easier to think it was something that could NEVER happen to us.

I certainly don't agree with you re why I'm interested. My family likes to hike and have wanted to take a trip to the Grand Canyon. I was standing in a long line in a store and the woman behind me and I started chatting. She was giving me advice about places to visit in the summer in Canada. I had my young kids with me and told her we planned to visit the Grand Canyon in a year. She knew a lot about it and let me know it was a horrible idea with such young, rambunctious kids. She was right. We were ready to visit without a lot of planning. It was very sobering and I went home and spent more time learning about visiting there. I'm very interested in survival experiences in the wild.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

Yes, but why would he waste his energy doing that. It might be better to leave them all, and jog for help.

Jog for help? Are you serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Exactly. They were making bad decisions from the very start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the discussion has gone off the rails. Why would they move to that area, buy rental properties and then just oof themselves in such a brutal way?

Agreed. Some of these people live for drama. They are just extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Heat stroke is unbelievable because the officials who are there do not believe it. I'm not going to second guess them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Sorry what part of this is bizarre or ghoulish? I mean yes this is a bizarre case in that who would ever embark on this type of hike w baby and dog in the first place but the PP’s scenario isn’t bizarre. And ghoulish? Yes, their deaths were awful but this particular description of how they might have died is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

That poster above was making a case for heat stroke. Notice they said first mom collapsed from heat stroke then dad did after he tried to carry them all to safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Heat stroke is unbelievable because the officials who are there do not believe it. I'm not going to second guess them.

No the officials who are there are just doing their job which is to explore/rule out all possibilities. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe it was heat stroke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Heat stroke is unbelievable because the officials who are there do not believe it. I'm not going to second guess them.

No the officials who are there are just doing their job which is to explore/rule out all possibilities. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe it was heat stroke.

The park officials didn't close the forest including trails and picnic areas because of heat stroke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Heat stroke is unbelievable because the officials who are there do not believe it. I'm not going to second guess them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok... New theory.
So, it's an 8 mile hike. Say around mile 5 mom starts to get heat exhaustion. Tried, dizzy, nauseous. Pretty soon she's weak and/or passes out.
It's still quickest to keep going, so, Dad has to support or carry mom along with baby.
Eventually, say around mile 6, he can't support them both, (or she fully passes out).
So, he sets down the baby in the pack, carries mom 100 yards, sets her down, goes back, carries baby to mom. Sets down baby, carries mom another hundred yards, goes back for baby. A half mile of that he's exhausted, he sets mom down, goes to get baby
Sits down next to baby to rest and succumbs to heat stroke.

That would explain placement and different times to succumb to heat stroke.

Ugghh, writing this out sounds awful.i think murder suicide. Would be a better way to go..

This is compelling.

No, it's bizarre, ghoulish, and makes no sense, given the facts.

Yeah. I don’t know why people think heatstroke is unbelievable. It makes the most sense. Simplest explanation. No more bizarre than their decision to do this hike in these conditions in the first place.

Heat stroke is unbelievable because the officials who are there do not believe it. I'm not going to second guess them.

No the officials who are there are just doing their job which is to explore/rule out all possibilities. That doesn’t mean they don’t believe it was heat stroke.

The park officials didn't close the forest including trails and picnic areas because of heat stroke.

+1