Eerie Death Of Family In Remote Devil’s Gulch Path Fuels Toxic Algae Speculation As Authorities Remain Puzzled

The Savage Lundy Trail in the Sierra National Forest, as well as surrounding trek routes in the area, have been closed to the public while the investigation into the mysterious case of a family of three found dead of eerie circumstances in the remote park continues onward.

John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their one-year-old child Muji, and their family dog, were found dead on the Devil’s Gulch area in the Savage Lundy Trail of the Sierra National Forest on Aug. 17, according to a previous report.

Due to the conundrum surrounding the sudden deaths, the Savage Lundy Trail and the other surrounding trails have been closed to the public until Sept. 26 as a way of mitigating the possible dangers of the area which are still under investigation, according to KTLA 5.

“We are uncertain of the causes of death. We still haven’t gotten the results from the case,” Leak Pen, the assistant recreational officer of the Bass Lake Ranger District said. “So, as a precaution, let’s go ahead and close it because we know there’s some form of hazard to the public.”

They have ruled out the use of any weapon, including gunshots, as well as dangerous gases that could have come from the mines close to the Sierra National Forest, the New York Daily News said.

Toxicology reports are still being run, but there is speculation that harmful algae bloom from the Merced River may have caused the tragic end of the Gerrish family. However, freshwater blooms are not known to kill humans.

“Because of the heat there’s a chance they may have drank the water or tried to treat the water, but we don’t know,” Pen said. “It’s very mysterious, and we’re all just waiting for the results.”

The police have reassured the public that they are doing everything they can to ensure that the mysterious deaths of Gerrish, Chung, their child, and their dog, will not remain unsolved.

“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. “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.”