14 year old Alaskan boy dies from dehydration while hiking with family on South Mountain (Phoenix: high school, live) - Arizona (AZ) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Grannysroost · 07-20-2009, 08:41 PM

From Alaska, they should have known better! But to refuse water anywhere is stupid in my book, or dummer yet not to have it with you, especially if you don't have heat smarts. Very sad story that was totally avoidable

skyegirl · 07-20-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

Child abuse and be fined whatever the charge it is to refuse someone water in our state.

Fined? I somehow find that completely unacceptable. The parents need to be charged with murder if everything that has been said (refusal of water, screaming at him) turns out to be true. As a matter of fact, I'm all for saving some money, and giving them the same inhumane treatment/death their son received.

NSX · 07-20-2009, 08:56 PM

What stupid parents, a very sad story. Nobody should be blaming the boy, he was only 14 for God sakes. RIP.

To all of you fellow hikers out there, no matter what else you do, please always bring a cell phone and at least 2L water.

Lindsey_Mcfarren · 07-20-2009, 09:00 PM

I don't hike but I carry one or two water bottles with me everywhere. It gets hot here in Florida and I am one of those people who dehydrates easily, so I always have my own water on me.

I can't comprehend someone going hiking without water, or refusing a child water.
When my daughter goes out in the neighborhood to ride her bike or play, she has a neck strap that will carry a water bottle and I make sure she takes it with her.

Grannysroost · 07-20-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

I don't hike but I carry one or two water bottles with me everywhere. It gets hot here in Florida and I am one of those people who dehydrates easily, so I always have my own water on me.

I can't comprehend someone going hiking without water, or refusing a child water.
When my daughter goes out in the neighborhood to ride her bike or play, she has a neck strap that will carry a water bottle and I make sure she takes it with her.

Ponderosa · 07-20-2009, 09:36 PM

This is sad and it illustrates what some of us have been discussing on the other threads. People who come here don't realize that it can feel much cooler than it is and that they are losing a lot more water than they think they are. We see all the time about hikers from out of state who collapse on the trails. Visitors, beware, the low humidity can fool you. Drink, drink, drink (water).

culturedmom · 07-20-2009, 10:00 PM

Well, I don't know much about this sad story. If it is true that they refused water and were yelling at the boy, it might have been due to them being mentally affected by the dehydration they were experienceing as well. And the article said they did have water, but ran out. I'm not making excuses, but I do think that not knowing the whole story, I don;t feel right judging them. Plus, I am not convinced that jail or fines or any of that is necessary. What coudl possibly be worse then losing a child?

As someone who has transplanted here from Florida, I will tell you that the lack of moisture really caught us off gaurd. I can't tell you how many people told us, "it's hot, but it's not as bad as Florida cause you don't have the humidity". No one ever really explained what not having humidity really means, and the first time we walked out of the house and it was 109 and dry, it was like a mac truck hitting you in the face. And I have gone out with 4 water bottles and it not be enough. Granted I know enough to not go hiking in the middle of the day. But I can see how someone from Alaska, might underestimate what the heat here really does to you on a long hike, or even walking from your car to the house. Natives I think take for granted what an alien landscape this can seem to AZ newbies. We just got caught in our first ever dust storm the other day and it was wild!

The best advise I think to newbies is double the water you woudl normaly think to take and if you are going to go out for long periods of time, far from air condition, go early or late int he day.

davidafan · 07-21-2009, 05:40 AM

When I saw this on the local news here in Phoenix, they didn't mention anything about his mother being there. They made it sound like he was here visiting his cousins and they interviewed his aunt who had been on the trail with him, not his actual parent. Not that that means that his mother wasn't there, I suppose, just that she wasn't mentioned or interviewed.

We just relocated here from a "cold" state roughly two weeks ago. I can't even imagine going for a hike in this weather. How could that even be enjoyable? When it was zero degrees back home, no one set foot outside, much less went for a hike. Really, what's the difference, IMHO? Heck, I get dehydrated just walking into the grocery store from my car here!

Did anyone see the other story on the news this past weekend about the guy that they had to rescue from a hike up Camelback Mountain on Saturday? He was middle-aged, wearing black clothing, and had taken almost no water with him. It was 115 degrees last Saturday. With all due respect...DUH!!!!

Bummer · 07-21-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidafan

With all due respect...DUH!!!!

DUH speaks volumes for both scenarios, Davidafan.

Regardless of where one is from . . . Common Sense should have kicked in.

blueeyz911 · 07-21-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bummer

DUH speaks volumes for both scenarios, Davidafan.

Regardless of where one is from . . . Common Sense should have kicked in.

DUH is right.

What a bunch of idiots. Sadly many people do not have any common sense. This time, a lack of common sense as many other times, has taken the life of a child. Very sad.