It was a heartbreaking moment when authorities found the man’s body, especially because his family was present at the scene. Los Angeles Sgt. Ruben Arellano told The Associated Press that the golden retriever was found beside his best friend when responders arrived. The dog was described to be both tired and hungry by rescue agents.
Meanwhile, Hernandez’s cousin believes that the pooch never left the deceased’s side and remained by his for the entire time. A distressing video of the dog being placed in the back of a truck the night Hernandez was found dead was shared on Twitter. Police are yet to reveal the cause of death and how his body was discovered.
A firefighter told NBC Los Angeles that the location where Hernandez’s body was found was a decent hike up from the region he was last seen. The Los Angeles Fire Department, park rangers, police, and Hernandez’s relatives were all present at the site where the hiker’s remains were found on Thursday night.
Per PEOPLE, the Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue team used a helicopter to remove his body from the steep hillside where Hernandez was found. The circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated.
Last month, four children lost their father who was hiking in Montana, we reported. The Park County Sheriff’s Office found the remains of Craig Clouatre who is suspected to have died in a grizzly bear attack. “It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing this update. After an extensive search this morning we have located Craig. It appears he had an encounter with a grizzly and unfortunately did not survive,” shared Sheriff Brad Bichler in a statement.
