Sage of Seattle
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Coroner: Teen died of exposure
Report finds no signs of other injuries; findings are preliminary until results of additional tests are in
By Heath Druzin - Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 02/16/07
Exposure to the cold killed a Nampa teen found dead Tuesday after becoming stranded in the Boise National Forest, Boise County Sheriff's officials said.
Jennifer Burkey's body showed no signs of other injuries other than those caused by exposure, officials said. The findings are preliminary, and final coroner's and toxicology reports are expected in about two weeks.
Investigators are still trying to determine the events that led to her death, Boise County Chief Deputy Bill Braddock said.
"We've determined she died of exposure but have not decided whether or not circumstances around that merit criminal charges," he said.
Burkey, 18, died after she and two companions, Ashley Benbrook, 23, and Joseph Dobyns, 32, became stranded Saturday in the backcountry east of Idaho City with no supplies. The three remained snowbound on Rabbit Creek Road for more than three days.
Rescue crews found Burkey's body late Tuesday after Benbrook walked out of the woods onto Idaho 21 and told deputies where to find his companions.
As first reported in the Idaho Statesman, Benbrook said the three drove eight miles up the snowmobile trail to hunt coyotes but got stuck when the silver Dodge Durango slid into a ditch. The road was marked closed to motor vehicles.
Benbrook said the trio made a series of missteps that left them miles from their truck and soaking wet.
Braddock confirmed some details of Benbrook's story, including that the three had hunting weapons. Braddock said both Benbrook and Dobyns were questioned and released Tuesday night.
To some, Benbrook's story, recounted in Thursday's Statesman, seems inexplicable. He said the three drove to the mountains without proper provisions, although they did have warm coats. At one point, Burkey lost her shoes, so they fashioned makeshift ones using gloves. Then, when Burkey collapsed during one of their attempts to find help, the other two walked on, thinking she would catch up because it had happened before.
A doctor, however, explained that making poor decisions can be a sign of hypothermia.
Dr. Brandon Wilding said people exposed to long periods of cold and whose body temperatures fall often have decreased blood flow to the brain causing diminished mental function. Wilding, who works in the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center emergency room, cited cases where people have been within sight of rescuers and not walked toward them, dying hundreds of yards from safety.
"In that state, people can do things that are not what a normal, reasoning person would do," he said.
A snowstorm left Benbrook, Burkey and Dobyns soaked during their ordeal. Wilding said wet clothes can speed up a person's body heat loss by 30 percent.
The trio didn't tell anyone where they were going when they left Boise Saturday evening and their disappearance triggered a massive search. The search started in the desert south of Kuna, where Dobyns and Benbrook sometimes went shooting, some 60 miles from where the three were eventually found.
Authorities didn't know the three were in Boise County until Benbrook emerged from the mountains on Idaho 21 on Tuesday and got a ride to the Boise County Sheriff's station in Idaho City.
Braddock didn't have a cost estimate on his county's portion of the rescue but he said costs are mounting for the continuing investigation.
"As in almost every case, the cost is going to fall on the taxpayers of Boise County," he said.
The story has stirred a lot of public interest. The Boise County Sheriff's Office, a small agency not usually in the spotlight, has been bombarded with calls and dealing with the news media onslaught. Braddock said news trucks from Channels 7 and 2 became stuck on Rabbit Creek Road while trying to reach the scene of the trio's ordeal.
To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Heath Druzin at [email protected] or 373-6617.
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I'm not really active in outdoorsman type activities, though I plan on getting out more this year and I thought this story is another good example to help spread the message of some of the most important things to do in case of getting lost hiking or traveling in the wilderness.
The part that got me was the article explains how, during hypothermia, thinking gets clouded and illogical. My point would be, why didn't they do the thinking BEFORE they left? Tell people where they were going is the first rule, I would imagine, and how long you plan on being gone. Even a note or a voicemail for someone is better than nothing if your trip is last minute.
Now, if I were stuck in my vehicle in the same situation, my priorities would be as follows:
1) shelter (the truck works)
2) heat (fire building skills or running the motor of the truck periodically)
3) potable water (bringing drinks or melting snow through body heat or #2)
4) signaling (radio, cell phone, mirror, whistle; anything along those lines)
Food would be far down the list. My reasoning could be faulty, so I would appreciate any input on my priorities. My thoughts center around "what would I die of the fastest in snowy conditions" and address those conditions first.
As to Ms. Burkey and her family, my heart goes out to them in their time of sorrow.
Report finds no signs of other injuries; findings are preliminary until results of additional tests are in
By Heath Druzin - Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 02/16/07
Exposure to the cold killed a Nampa teen found dead Tuesday after becoming stranded in the Boise National Forest, Boise County Sheriff's officials said.
Jennifer Burkey's body showed no signs of other injuries other than those caused by exposure, officials said. The findings are preliminary, and final coroner's and toxicology reports are expected in about two weeks.
Investigators are still trying to determine the events that led to her death, Boise County Chief Deputy Bill Braddock said.
"We've determined she died of exposure but have not decided whether or not circumstances around that merit criminal charges," he said.
Burkey, 18, died after she and two companions, Ashley Benbrook, 23, and Joseph Dobyns, 32, became stranded Saturday in the backcountry east of Idaho City with no supplies. The three remained snowbound on Rabbit Creek Road for more than three days.
Rescue crews found Burkey's body late Tuesday after Benbrook walked out of the woods onto Idaho 21 and told deputies where to find his companions.
As first reported in the Idaho Statesman, Benbrook said the three drove eight miles up the snowmobile trail to hunt coyotes but got stuck when the silver Dodge Durango slid into a ditch. The road was marked closed to motor vehicles.
Benbrook said the trio made a series of missteps that left them miles from their truck and soaking wet.
Braddock confirmed some details of Benbrook's story, including that the three had hunting weapons. Braddock said both Benbrook and Dobyns were questioned and released Tuesday night.
To some, Benbrook's story, recounted in Thursday's Statesman, seems inexplicable. He said the three drove to the mountains without proper provisions, although they did have warm coats. At one point, Burkey lost her shoes, so they fashioned makeshift ones using gloves. Then, when Burkey collapsed during one of their attempts to find help, the other two walked on, thinking she would catch up because it had happened before.
A doctor, however, explained that making poor decisions can be a sign of hypothermia.
Dr. Brandon Wilding said people exposed to long periods of cold and whose body temperatures fall often have decreased blood flow to the brain causing diminished mental function. Wilding, who works in the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center emergency room, cited cases where people have been within sight of rescuers and not walked toward them, dying hundreds of yards from safety.
"In that state, people can do things that are not what a normal, reasoning person would do," he said.
A snowstorm left Benbrook, Burkey and Dobyns soaked during their ordeal. Wilding said wet clothes can speed up a person's body heat loss by 30 percent.
The trio didn't tell anyone where they were going when they left Boise Saturday evening and their disappearance triggered a massive search. The search started in the desert south of Kuna, where Dobyns and Benbrook sometimes went shooting, some 60 miles from where the three were eventually found.
Authorities didn't know the three were in Boise County until Benbrook emerged from the mountains on Idaho 21 on Tuesday and got a ride to the Boise County Sheriff's station in Idaho City.
Braddock didn't have a cost estimate on his county's portion of the rescue but he said costs are mounting for the continuing investigation.
"As in almost every case, the cost is going to fall on the taxpayers of Boise County," he said.
The story has stirred a lot of public interest. The Boise County Sheriff's Office, a small agency not usually in the spotlight, has been bombarded with calls and dealing with the news media onslaught. Braddock said news trucks from Channels 7 and 2 became stuck on Rabbit Creek Road while trying to reach the scene of the trio's ordeal.
To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Heath Druzin at [email protected] or 373-6617.
------------------------------------------------
I'm not really active in outdoorsman type activities, though I plan on getting out more this year and I thought this story is another good example to help spread the message of some of the most important things to do in case of getting lost hiking or traveling in the wilderness.
The part that got me was the article explains how, during hypothermia, thinking gets clouded and illogical. My point would be, why didn't they do the thinking BEFORE they left? Tell people where they were going is the first rule, I would imagine, and how long you plan on being gone. Even a note or a voicemail for someone is better than nothing if your trip is last minute.
Now, if I were stuck in my vehicle in the same situation, my priorities would be as follows:
1) shelter (the truck works)
2) heat (fire building skills or running the motor of the truck periodically)
3) potable water (bringing drinks or melting snow through body heat or #2)
4) signaling (radio, cell phone, mirror, whistle; anything along those lines)
Food would be far down the list. My reasoning could be faulty, so I would appreciate any input on my priorities. My thoughts center around "what would I die of the fastest in snowy conditions" and address those conditions first.
As to Ms. Burkey and her family, my heart goes out to them in their time of sorrow.
