BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas — Two people have been pronounced dead by a team of Big Bend Park Rangers and U.S. Border Patrol Agents following their hike on the Marufo Vega Trail in extreme heat.
A father and his two stepsons went hiking on June 23 with the temperature at the time being 119 degrees. The youngest son, a 14-year-old, fell ill and lost consciousness. This led to the father leaving the area in an attempt to get back to his vehicle to find help for his son, while the other son, a 21-year-old, tried to carry his brother back to the trailhead.
Park Rangers were alerted about this incident around 6:00 p.m. on June 23 and first located the 14-year-old who was pronounced dead. Later around 8:00 p.m., the Park Rangers and U.S. Border Patrol Agents found the 31-year-old father near the Boquillas Overlook where he had crashed his vehicle at. The father was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation is still ongoing and we will continue to update this story as we receive more information. Also, for more information about the dangers of Big Bend National Park during extreme heat, click here.