What happened to this California family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

I think it just takes a very long time to get results of tests. We have a friend whose son died in their home. It took a few months before they got the toxicology results proving suicide. It just takes a long time for all that stuff to come back. These departments are overworked with limited funding. They probably ran a ton more tests than normal because of the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

That's right OJ, the real killer is still out there forcing families into ill-advised hikes.

It doesn't take three months to fabricate a cover story either.

[Anonymous]

Some of you don’t understand the concept of a diagnosis of exclusion, and presumably never will if you didn’t get it the first 50 times it was explained on here. To properly reach that conclusion in a case that garnered a massive amount of media attention, you have to first rule out all the juicy possible causes that some of you were jonesing for, the other potential causes that could have public health and safety implications (toxic algae and yes, even weed growers), and every other factor that has killed hikers in that area in the past (or potentially could). Every ridiculous and non-ridiculous theory that has been trotted out here had to be examined and proved wrong before they could announce the completely obvious, IMO, cause of death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was obvious to me that heat stroke/hyperthermia was the Occam’s razor from the very start given what facts we knew (109% temps, ridiculously long, steep hike even if you discount baby and 8 year old furry dog), and the only positive thing for me is that the FA, mom-blamer people who didn’t bother to read the reports (it is sadly similar to the Bad Art Friend saga, with people just projecting) were wrong. I think the dog suffered distress first and was carried up the steep slope by the dad, who was also carrying the baby. He sat to rest with baby and probably unconscious dog, and succumbed along with ailing or close to dead dog and helpless baby, and mom tried to sprint back to car, perhaps after the dithering we would all do, and collapsed. I’m bet if they realized they’d over-committed and stayed in the valley/river until temperatures were cooler, they would have made it.

They were very fit, but also overconfident and thrill-seekers, it seems. I remember when my Minnesota grandmother used to visit us in Florida in the hot months when we would have sports practice she would yell at my mom about the the danger and mutter “Mad dogs and Englishmen.” I was confused then, but I get it now.

The dog being in distress first is my theory as well. This hike was an epically bad decision. I can understand the adults undertaking it together, but still can't really fathom why you would decide to bring an 8 year old dog and a baby. It is heartbreaking to think how that child would have suffered. My guess is that family and close friends have theories about who would have been the one to push for going forward with a family hike in those conditions. I'm glad they have closure.

[Anonymous]

How can some parents be so dumb?

[Anonymous]

Tragic, but not unexpected.

- Heat stroke "proponent" since inception of this thread (I was totally wrong about Laundrie, though - thought he was alive and in hiding).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

Is this your roundabout way of telling us you’re a conspiracy nut?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of you don’t understand the concept of a diagnosis of exclusion, and presumably never will if you didn’t get it the first 50 times it was explained on here. To properly reach that conclusion in a case that garnered a massive amount of media attention, you have to first rule out all the juicy possible causes that some of you were jonesing for, the other potential causes that could have public health and safety implications (toxic algae and yes, even weed growers), and every other factor that has killed hikers in that area in the past (or potentially could). Every ridiculous and non-ridiculous theory that has been trotted out here had to be examined and proved wrong before they could announce the completely obvious, IMO, cause of death.

The reason this case garnered a massive amount of media attention is because the sheriff started off blaming toxic mine gas or toxic algae. Or UFOs.

This is not DCUM's or social media's fault for being credulous. We've just been listening to what the professionals have been telling us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

I think it just takes a very long time to get results of tests. We have a friend whose son died in their home. It took a few months before they got the toxicology results proving suicide. It just takes a long time for all that stuff to come back. These departments are overworked with limited funding. They probably ran a ton more tests than normal because of the circumstances.

Also, it's 2 months, not 3 months, conspiracy PP. Family died in August. Test results taking 8 weeks is not shocking when you're dealing with what you're dealing with. Additionally, as multiple people have noted including the police in question, heat-related deaths are determined by exclusion, so naturally that would not happen until all tests had been run and other causes ruled out.

Sometimes things are just tragic and sad. There isn't some epic conspiracy. This family made a really bad decision this particular day and died on the trail due to the heat. Gabby Petito was killed by her abusive boyfriend who then killed himself. Both of those things were obvious from the start, but because we love a sensation here, we had to play out bounty hunts and boulder theories and everyone suddenly became an expert on van life and switchbacks and hiking water carriers.

But please continue to amuse yourself with your conspiracy theories. GIFs make it zesty, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m on of the Arizona posters who posted 300 pages ago that it was inconceivable to me to leave on a bike like that so late in the morning especially with a dog and baby. I think people around the world are really going to have to adjust their expectations about what they can do given the rising global temperatures. Stay safe everyone. Mother Nature has a real wicked side.

Yeah, WTAF were they thinking?? And why didn’t they turn back way sooner? I would have attempted that hike with a dog and a baby in ideal conditions. Sounds mean but this seems like sort of a Darwin Award to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't take 3 months to determine it was heat exhaustion.

I think it just takes a very long time to get results of tests. We have a friend whose son died in their home. It took a few months before they got the toxicology results proving suicide. It just takes a long time for all that stuff to come back. These departments are overworked with limited funding. They probably ran a ton more tests than normal because of the circumstances.

Also, it's 2 months, not 3 months, conspiracy PP. Family died in August. Test results taking 8 weeks is not shocking when you're dealing with what you're dealing with. Additionally, as multiple people have noted including the police in question, heat-related deaths are determined by exclusion, so naturally that would not happen until all tests had been run and other causes ruled out.

Sometimes things are just tragic and sad. There isn't some epic conspiracy. This family made a really bad decision this particular day and died on the trail due to the heat. Gabby Petito was killed by her abusive boyfriend who then killed himself. Both of those things were obvious from the start, but because we love a sensation here, we had to play out bounty hunts and boulder theories and everyone suddenly became an expert on van life and switchbacks and hiking water carriers.

But please continue to amuse yourself with your conspiracy theories. GIFs make it zesty, I guess.

Yep, hoofbeats usually means horses not zebras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can some parents be so dumb?

Thrill seekers. These hiker crazies all brag about their extreme hikes and brushes with death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can some parents be so dumb?

Thrill seekers. These hiker crazies all brag about their extreme hikes and brushes with death.

With a baby???!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m on of the Arizona posters who posted 300 pages ago that it was inconceivable to me to leave on a bike like that so late in the morning especially with a dog and baby. I think people around the world are really going to have to adjust their expectations about what they can do given the rising global temperatures. Stay safe everyone. Mother Nature has a real wicked side.

Yeah, WTAF were they thinking?? And why didn’t they turn back way sooner? I would have attempted that hike with a dog and a baby in ideal conditions. Sounds mean but this seems like sort of a Darwin Award to me.

References to Darwin Awards, when there is an infant involved are sick.

Human loss should not be the butt of snarky jokes.

There is not a flawless human among us.

This is tragedy that should bring out your compassion, if our society had not turned such events into entertainment/spectator sports.