Three partially mummified remains discovered at a remote Colorado campsite have been identified as family members attempting to live “off the grid.”
The bodies of sisters Christine Vance, 41, and Rebecca Vance, 42, as well as Rebecca’s 14-year-old son, have been identified by officials, according to The Guardian.
The mummified bones were discovered in and around a tent near a campsite in the Gunnison National Forest, about 14.5 kilometres from Ohio City, Colorado, according to Michael Barnes, the Gunnison County coroner.
The coroner determined that they died as a result of malnutrition or exposure during the frigid winter. Mr Barnes guessed that the group that started camping last summer died during the winter.
Rebecca Vance’s stepsister Trevala Jara told the Washington Post, “She didn’t like the way the world was going, and she thought it would be better if she and her son and Christine were alone, away from everybody.”
Mrs Jara also revealed that the group had no outdoor survival expertise and had learned how to survive in Colorado’s rough terrain by watching online videos.
The coroner determined that they died from malnutrition or exposure during the severe winter. Mr Barnes speculated that the group that started camping last summer may have died during the winter.
Trevala Jara, Rebecca Vance’s stepsister, told the Washington Post, “She didn’t like the way the world was going, and she thought it would be better if she and her son and Christine were alone, away from everybody.”
Mrs Jara also said that the group had no outdoor survival experience and had viewed online tutorials to learn how to survive in Colorado’s rough mountains.
“You can’t go on the internet and watch videos on how to live off the grid and then do it if you have no experience,” Mrs Jara told the Colorado Springs Gazette.
“You just can’t do that. They died of starvation because they weren’t prepared.”
The cause of death was not determined.
Their badly decomposed remains were found by a hiker on July 9 at the Gold Creek Campground in the Gunnison National Forest.
Mr Barnes said that the two bodies were found in a tent, while another was found outside, at an elevation of around 9,500 ft.
In early August, the group came to their stepsister’s home “to say goodbye”.
