White Sands Hiking Deaths: Father, son wandered off trail to find help for hurt mother, sheriff says

Otero County Sheriff’s Office says a man and his 9-year-old son on Tuesday went off a trail at White Sands, New Mexico, likely to find help for the son’s mother.

The 51-year-old woman, identified as Ornella Steiner, and 42-year-old man, identified as David Steiner, are the boy’s parents. Investigators believe the couple died from exposure to the heat.

The family was visiting from Reims, France, where they are from.

Otero County Sheriff Benny House told ABC-7 that investigators believe the woman may have fallen down one of the dunes, hurting herself. She then succumbed to the heart where she hurt herself.

The woman was found about 5:30 p.m. and the man and surviving boy about half an hour later. The daytime high temperature in the monument Tuesday reached 101 degrees F.

The man and son were found about 2,000 feet away from the woman.

Only the boy, identifed by L’union newspaper as Enzo, survived.

House said they were getting information on what happened from the boy.

The boy’s grandmother was expected to pick him up this afternoon.

During extreme summer heat it is critical to be prepared and know your limitations. For summer hiking, it is recommended to hike during the coolest part of the day, which is early morning or early evening. We recommend that visitors not start a hike when the temperature is at or above 85 degrees F. There is no shade or water along any of the trails in the monument.

White Sands park rangers also recommend that hikers bring at least one gallon of water per person per day and high-energy snacks. Wear a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and lightweight, loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves and long pants to help protect skin from the sun. Always have a plan when you hike – tell someone who is not in your party where you are hiking and when you plan to return.