Yosemite trails and campsite where family and dog found dead closed due to ‘unknown hazards’
The trails and campgrounds in a remote area near Yosemite National Park in Northern California where a couple, their one-year-old daughter and the family dog were all found mysteriously dead last month have been closed due to “unknown hazards,” officials said in a statement.
The bodies of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their toddler, Miju, and their canine companion, Oksi, were found by search and rescue workers on Aug. 17 along the Savage Lundy Trail in the Sierra National Forest, near the south fork of the Merced River, according to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.
The family was reported missing the day prior.
The tragic discovery sparked a mystery for which officials, so far, have few answers. While it’s still not clear what killed the family, some have speculated their deaths may have been a result of toxic algae. Signs warning of the water plants have been in the area since July.
Autopsies on the family and a necropsy on the dog proved inconclusive while toxicology results could come as early as Wednesday, Kristie Mitchell, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told CNN.
The only potential causes of death that have been ruled out are gunshots, or any other type of weapon.
“Designated recreation sites, roads, and trails in proximity and/or leading to this location will be off limits to public,” the national forest said in a statement.
Officials emphasized the closures, which began on Sunday, were out of an abundance of caution.
Since the move was announced, the U.S. Forest Service temporarily closed all national forests in California due to multiple wildfires burning in the state.
“We know the family and friends of John and Ellen are desperate for answers, our team of Detectives are working round the clock,” Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said in a statement.
“Cases like this require us to be methodical and thorough while also reaching out to every resource we can find to help us bring those answers to them as quickly as we can.”
