More than two months after a Northern California family was found dead on a hiking trail in a remote area of the Sierra National Forest, authorities say they died of heat-related illness and probable dehydration.
The family of three — John Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their 1-year-old daughter, Miju — along with their dog Oski were found dead Aug. 17 in an area known as Devil's Gulch along the Merced River. A family friend had reported them missing the day before.
Jeremy Briese, Mariposa County's sheriff and coroner, announced the findings at a news conference Thursday afternoon. Oski's cause of death is undetermined, but signs point to heat-related illness as well.
The young family's death baffled investigators as myriad theories swirled over how they died.
Physical force and violence were ruled out quickly, as was toxic gas from a shuttered mine shaft in the area. Lightning strikes were eliminated, and investigators moved on from considering suicide, drugs or alcohol use.
But one theory persisted: whether toxic algae blooms in the Merced River killed them.
Investigators took water samples after high levels of the algae were detected.
Weeks passed while authorities waited on a battery of toxicology and other tests that would determine whether levels of the algae were high enough to cause death.
