The teen whose body was found in the Colorado desert after trying to survive off the grid along with his aunt and mother weighed just 40 pounds at the time of his death, according to a recently released autopsy report.
The unidentified 14-year-old died alongside his mother Rebecca Vance, 42; and his aunt Christine Vance, 41, shortly after the trio decided to leave civilization in Colorado Springs last summer despite having little experience in outdoor survival.
All three died of malnutrition and hypothermia, according to autopsy reports from the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office obtained by the Colorado Sun.
The youngster lost less than half the average weight for children his age, which is 112 pounds, according to the CDC.
Empty food cans and survival guides littered the remote camp in Gunnison County where the bodies were discovered in July, but there was no food or heaters in sight, the Sun reported.
A hiker found the boy’s mummified body on July 9 near Gold Creek Campground, and responding investigators discovered the remains of his aunt and mother inside a blue tent at the isolated campground more than 100 miles from their former home. home in Colorado Springs.
The 14-year-old son of Rebecca Vance (left) left his Colorado Springs home last August to live off the grid with his mother, Rebecca Vance (second from left), as well as his aunt Christine Vance (second from left). right). The trio could not be talked out of going, stepsister Trevala Jara (center) told The Post. Courtesy of Trevala Jara
The stepsister of the two women previously told The Post that the teen had mixed feelings about his mother’s plan to live off the land.
“I was scared and excited at the same time,” Trevala Jara said in late July. “I was only 13 years old when they left. He didn’t know at all what it means to live off the grid, but he wanted to be with his mother.”
Jara said that her mother Rebecca wanted to start a new life by escaping to the desert and convinced her younger sister to join them.
“It was Becky’s idea,” Jara said. “At first Christine didn’t want to go, but she changed her mind. She felt that they had a better chance of living if she went with them. And she did not want our sister and nephew to be alone.
Rebecca, who family members described as an introvert who was not particularly outdoorsy, couldn’t go along with her plans despite the family’s pleas, Jara added.
The trio’s cause of death was malnutrition and hypothermia. ZUMAPRESS.com
The single mother refused to tell relatives where they planned to camp or how they would survive the harsh Colorado winters. The family left without much preparation other than watching YouTube videos on how to survive in the great outdoors, according to Jara.
The three were reported missing in October.
All of their bodies were extremely thin and significantly decomposed, according to the autopsy reports. The coroner said they probably died sometime last winter.
Each wore several layers of clothing and necklaces with cross pendants around their necks, according to the reports.
The camp where the bodies were found was hit by heavy snowfall and several days below zero last winter, the local newspaper reported.
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