A 31-year-old Florida man and his two stepsons were hiking in extreme heat on Friday, June 23, when the youngest stepson, 14, lost consciousness.
They were on Marufo Vega Trail in Big Bend National Park in Texas. According to the National Park Service, this is a rugged trail that goes through the hottest area of the park.
"No shade or water makes this strenuous trail dangerous to attempt in the heat of summer," the park said in a news release.
According to the release, Big Bend National Park’s Communications Center received a request for emergency assistance around 6 p.m. on that day.
Park Rangers and US Border Patrol Agents arrived at the scene at around 7:30 p.m. and found the 14 year old dead on the trail.
They searched for the stepdad and found his crashed vehicle about 30 minutes later. He was also pronounced dead.
According to the news release, the man's other stepson, 21, tried carrying his brother while the man left to look for help.
The news release from the park reported that temperatures rose to 119 Fahrenheit at the time.
The incident is still under investigation.
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In an Instagram post on Sunday, Big Bend National Park posted another warning about the high temperatures, saying hiking is not recommended.
The National Park's website also has an Extreme Heat Advisory for the desert areas of Big Bend, noting that temperatures are currently 110+ every day and urging visitors to avoid the trails in the afternoon.
