The Otero county police are confirming that French tourists, hiking with their young son in the White Sands National Monument Park, in southern New Mexico, appear to have become disoriented and died due to dehydration and heat stroke. David and Ornella Steiner, from Bourgogne France, were discovered by park rangers earlier this week, along with their 9-year-old son, whose name was not released. It is believed that the young boy, who was better hydrated than his parents, may have survived because the parents saved their limited water supply for him.
The mother appears to have suffered a knee injury and attempted to turn back before collapsing. The father and son attempted to continue hiking the trail, but according to translated accounts from the young boy, the father became disoriented due to heat exhaustion. The mother’s body was found by park rangers first, and pictures on her camera suggested that the husband and son were still out there. The boy was found with his father, and the French consulate was notified. His grandmother has since flown into Albuquerque, to take custody of her grandson.
The harsh, deserts of southern New Mexico can be an unforgiving environment, especially in the summer months, where temperatures can easily exceed 100F for long periods of time. Many tourists are drawn to the distinctive white dunes of gypsum sand, which cover hundreds of square miles, beginning about 13 miles to the west of Alamogordo, N.M. The White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) is also located in this remote and sparsely populated region of the state, allowing the military to safely test weapons systems and perform training exercises.
Unfortunately, in extremely hot environments like this, as much as a gallon of water per person can be required to stay hydrated over the course of a day. The Steiners appear to have only taken two small, 20 fluid ounce bottles of water with them, which would not even be enough for one adult, though it appears to have been enough for a child.
