MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY The young family went hiking: they found them all dead, the autopsy revealed nothing! – Topky.sk

California was shocked by the death of a young family who was found dead on August 17 by the Merced River in a remote area of ​​the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There were no injuries on the bodies of John Gerrish, his wife Ellen Chung and one-year-old daughter Miju. Their dog Oski was also found dead. Police began searching for them after a family friend reported their disappearance. “This is a very unusual situation. The poor show no signs of injury, no apparent cause of death. We didn’t even find a farewell letter. They were simply on hiking.” Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kristie Mitchell told the newspaper San Francisco Chronicle.

Missing California family – John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, 1-year-old Miju – were found dead in the Sierra National Forest. Autopsies didn’t reveal cause. https://t.co/KTEyqARuBt pic.twitter.com/nbk2IRXqV5

– ABC7 News (@ abc7newsbayarea) August 22, 2021

Can poisonous cyanobacteria be the cause of the tragedy?

Investigators first considered the theory that the family might have been poisoned by toxic fumes from nearby abandoned mines. But local sheriff Jeremy Briese, according to the newspaper Fresno Bee he did not believe this hypothesis, because the nearest mine is located almost five kilometers from the place where the bodies were found. Rather, he favors the theory that poisonous algae and cyanobacteria have contributed to the tragedy. The US Forest Administration has even issued a warning in this regard.

These bacteria can release toxins into the environment that can poison animals such as cattle or dogs. They can get into the human body by ingestion, through the skin, but also through inhalation. People who swim, wade through a river, or perform other water activity in a body of water that is contaminated with cyanobacteria can develop health problems such as skin rash, diarrhea, and vomiting. Longer-term consequences include problems with the liver, kidneys or nervous system. However, the fatal consequences have not yet been recorded.

The autopsy revealed nothing

Experts have taken samples from the Merced River and are currently investigating whether they contain toxic bacteria. “The fact that there are two dead in this case, one child and a dog, is really unusual. Even if they were exposed to bacteria, one would assume that not all were exposed to the same amount.” added Alan Wilson, Professor of Aquaculture and Water Sciences at Auburn University in Alabama. Police are currently waiting for the results of toxicological tests, which should bring more light to this mysterious case. The autopsy revealed nothing.