The family wanted to start a new life far away from civilization, but their plan failed. A hiker came across their bodies in the Rocky Mountains.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Sisters Rebecca and Christine Vance, along with Rebecca’s 14-year-old son, left in early August 2022 to start their new, self-sufficient life, according to the US daily Colorado Springs Gazette reported. The news portal spoke to the stepsister of the two women, who had tried to keep the family from their plan. Unfortunately, the relatives were right when they worried that their lack of knowledge about survival in the wilderness could be fatal for the three. The bodies of the three dropouts were found by a hiker at a remote campground in Gunnison County on July 9, according to the Gazette report.
Coroners confirm the bodies’ identities – they are family from Colorado Springs
On July 25, the remains found at the campsite, which according to Washington Post “decomposed and partially mummified,” identified by a coroner as the Colorado Springs family. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office believes the two women and the boy died over the winter. The official cause of death has not yet been determined. However, the coroner states that malnutrition and the cold likely played a central role in her death.
They had met in advance YouTubevideos prepared for life away from civilization, reports Trevala Jara, the stepsister of the two women. When the three visited her to say goodbye shortly before her departure, Jara tried to dissuade her from her plan, unfortunately without success. The family carried out their plan and did not inform anyone of their whereabouts.
Step-sister warns others not to go into the wilderness unprepared
According to Jara, the three wanted to live as a dropout family because Rebecca was afraid of how the world would develop. “She wanted to save her son and our sister,” she said, stressing that she doesn’t think her loved ones are crazy.
However, it is also clear to them that the three have not prepared themselves sufficiently to survive far from any civilization. “They starved to death because they weren’t prepared,” says Jara. Before she left, she had offered the three of them a test run on a property owned by the family.
This would not have been quite as remote and there would have been safety nets in the form of an RV parked there and a generator. However, the drop-out family rejected the offer. Time and time again, people underestimate nature. A kayaker who had been missing for six days was also found dead – he probably filmed his own death. (sp)
#Starved #frozen #death #dropout #family #dead