The Gunnison County Coroner’s Office recently released an autopsy report detailing the deaths of a 14-year-old boy, his mother, and his aunt in the Colorado wilderness. The trio had ventured out with the intent of living off the grid. Their unfortunate demise was attributed to malnutrition and hypothermia.
The body of the teenager was found near Gold Creek Campground on July 9 by a hiker. The report stated that the boy’s weight at the time of his discovery was only 40 pounds, considerably below the Centers for Disease Control’s average weight for a boy of his age, which is 112 pounds.
A subsequent search by authorities led them to a remote campsite where the bodies of the boy’s mother, Rebecca Vance, 42, and his aunt, Christine Vance, 41, were located. The site was over 100 miles away from their initial home in Colorado Springs. The campsite contained empty food cans and survival guides, but there were no signs of fresh food or heaters.
Trevala Jara, a stepsister to the Vance sisters, provided insights into the family’s choices. Despite being only 13 at the start of their journey, the boy had opted to join his mother. Rebecca Vance, seen by her family as an introverted individual with no extensive experience in outdoor activities, was the key proponent of their relocation. Regardless of her family’s reservations, Rebecca was determined to lead a reclusive life and had persuaded her younger sister to join.
The family had been reported missing since the previous October. Their most recent communication with others indicated their lack of preparedness for the oncoming winter in Colorado. The autopsy indicated that the family likely perished during this past winter. All three bodies were dressed in numerous layers of clothing, and each had a cross pendant on them.
Given the heavy snow and numerous days of freezing temperatures, it underscored the harsh conditions the family was trying to navigate.