Woman dead, her parents hospitalized after hike leads to possible heat exhaustion

A 30-year-old hiker was found dead and her parents are hospitalized after officials believe they suffered from heat exhaustion while hiking through a state park in Utah, according to police.

First responders reported to the scene of a medical incident at Snow Canyon State Park on July 13 where they found two people suffering from a heat-related incident, Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department said in a statement.

As the two of them were being tended to, a passerby notified them of another hiker who was unconscious a short distance away. First responders found the 30-year-old female and determined she was already deceased.

USA TODAY has reached out to Santa Clara-Ivins police and Snow Canyon State Park for more information.

Hiker remembered as adventurous, 'very outgoing'

According to a GoFundMe and local reports, the victims are Belyruth Ordóñez and her parents, Dario and Humbelina Ordóñez.

Belyruth Ordóñez's friends told CBS 2 KUTV that the 30-year-old loved her family, loved to go out and loved to explore.

“She was just very friendly, very outgoing,” Yeraldine Calderon and Marlon Olaya, friends of the hiker, told the outlet. “We’ve known her for more than 10 years. It was very unbelievable, very shocking. No one ever expects to lose a close friend.”

Ordóñez studied psychology at Utah Valley University and previously worked as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, according to her Facebook.

"Friend, I'm going to miss you a lot," commented one of her Facebook friends on her profile picture in Spanish, "Fly high and we will find each other soon."

GoFundMe set up to help the family

A GoFundMe was put together to support Ordóñez's parents as the receive medical treatment and cope with the loss of their daughter.

"In this time of profound grief and hardship, we humbly ask our community to come together to support the Ordóñez Family," states the GoFundMe. "We are raising funds to cover funeral and medical expenses. Any contributions and prayers are deeply appreciated."

Police believe the incident is related to heat exhaustion

As temperatures rise, people wanting to do outdoor activities should plan accordingly, police emphasized.

"As temperatures soar, it's absolutely vital to maintain a regular intake of water, especially when outdoors," said police.

The case is an ongoing investigation, Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety said. "Due to the unusual nature of this incident, no further information will be shared at this time," the statement said.

What to know about risk of heat illness

The following factors increase the possibility of a heat related illness, according to the NPS:

• High humidity
• High elevation
• Strenuous activity
• Age (Infants, young children and people over 65 are more susceptible to heat illness)
• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Poor circulation
• Fever
• Mental illness
• Dehydration
• Sunburn
• Prescription drug and alcohol use

What to do when facing a heat stroke, the deadliest heat illness

There are multiple forms of heat illnesses, but heat stroke is the deadliest and most dangerous, according to the NPS.

Symptoms of a heat stroke are, according to the CDC:

• Body temperature of 103 degrees or higher
• Skins that is hot, red, dry or damp
• Fast, strong pulse
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Losing consciousness

In the case of a heat stroke, the CDC recommends people do the following:

• Call 911 immediately
• Move the person suffering from heat stroke to a cool location
• Lower the person's body temperature with a cool clothing or bath
• Do not give the person with a heat stroke water or anything to drink

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz