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Family has unanswered questions about daughter’s death at Lands End

16 Comments

  1. I walk this trail regularly and always see idiots ignoring the posted signs warning of the dangers. I’ve heard people say, “the sign says keep out but let’s go anyway, the view must be amazing.” I’ve also seen groups of people take large amounts of alcohol and food to forbidden zones and have picnics and parties — and I have been yelled at when I have tried to politely point out the danger zones.

    If someone ignores the signs and warnings and they get hurt, it is their fault!

    I’ve also seen an increased number of bikes on this trail even though it is clearly marked that bicycles are not allowed — this will be the next accident, especially given the number of small children and dogs that frequent this trail.

    My suggestion is to have the park rangers patrol the trail, especially on weekends and peak times.

  2. From the family’s PI: “I think this case is one of those where they would have been better served having the FBI come in and assist them.”

    This is horrific for the family, but does the FBI usually intervene in cases like this? I would have questions too, like if the guy tried to call 911, but unless the autopsy showed signs of a struggle indicating she was dragged to the cliff, I’m not sure what they have to go on. Her hoodie and phone were missing, but she had also been out all night partying and they could have been lost.

  3. Why do parents always think their kids are angels?….”she was studying to be a Dr., she volunteered”
    Ok, and she partied with friends who drank & did drugs, and ignored warning signs near the cliff.

  4. Sure any death is a tragedy and I wish the grieving family strength through this period. But, C’mon. Obvious Steep cliff! Big warning Sign- with a barricade. Day or night. Just plain dumb on her part. Don’t be cowards and remember her as she was.

  5. I didn’t watch the video, but – could her cell phone and hoodie have been dropped while on the cliff? e.g., hoodie was tied around waist, becomes loose during her efforts on the cliff, and falls off; she pulls out cell phone to try to call, but (cold, dehydrated, flush with adreniline – or all of the above) she accidently drops the phone before she can make a call?

    What happened to the daugher was called “an accident”, and it happens without rhyme or reason. IMHO the only mystery here is why the parents think there’s some conspiracy theory to hide the truth of what happened to their daughter.

  6. Did her father just stand on the edge of the same (or similar) cliff as the one that killed his daughter? A lot of poor judgement here, it seems.

  7. Very sad news, I would hope due diligence is taken when examining the body, the cliff, the story, and the friend who was with her. Seems a little suspect. While the girl was not a complete angel, most actions by people do not deserve a death.

    I hope the truth comes out in the end.

  8. Why has the Boyfriend hired an Attorney? I think this Incident is good material for a follow up in The Chronicle or a Feature in SF Weekly. I walk on the Coastal Trail most days with our two Dogs. It is certainly treacherous in sections. The Steep bluffs are not the Place to be following an evening of Serious partying.

  9. @Lee: I don’t know what happened, but the guy would be a fool NOT to hire an attorney. You’d be pretty naive to think someone didn’t need an attorney if they did nothing wrong.

  10. Replying to Khaki. Again my question is “Why has the Boyfriend hired an Attorney?” Is he a “Person of Interest”? Is there some Information that Channel 2 in its surprisingly diligent report withheld at the Request of Authorities? It’s a Good Story. Maybe the ‘Serial’ Season 2 Podcast could use this Incident for its Next Investigation.

  11. Is her father suggesting foul play on the part of the guy who was with his daughter? I understand he must be devastated but his daughter had been drinking and partying all night and fell off a cliff. Tragic: yes, criminal: highly unlikely.

    Also, the PI is insinuating that the guy with her changed his story the second time he was interviewed. Hello! He was most likely interviewed directly after being rescued, after clinging to a cliff for hours, witnessing a death, not to mention probably hungover and coming off coke. Um, yeah, he probably would have a differing statement the second interview around.

  12. Sometimes I believe that community blogs and comment sections are the solution to media consolidation and negativity.

    Most comments on this story have been the exact opposite and disappointing.

    How could you who called her an idiot even live with yourself? Did you even watch the news segment?

    I’m surprised that readers of this blog aren’t insensed by the lack of investigation by a federal agency in a park neighboring their residences. What ever happened to NIMBY? What we have here is not a father who isn’t looking at the facts, we have an ill-equipped park service staff who should outsource serious investigations.

    And what happened to understanding that Chris Blanchard was Randi’s boyfriend in any sense? How about thinking about what the hell you say or write on a public forum before writing it?

  13. C, your last paragraph makes zero sense. Are you attempting to say he WAS or WAS NOT her boyfriend? From what I understand, they had just met the previous night.

  14. *ironically, I must make correction.

    What I meant to say was that Chris Blanchard was not Randi Salmon’s boyfriend in the least.

    Note the tone of the Parks Service rep in the video (defensive, general) versus the Fire Department (more honest, candid).

  15. Yeah, so along the conspiracy lines, what could possibly be the boyfriend’s motive? This guy was just gettin’ to know this honey. She obviously dug him in some way. What possible motive would he have for forfeiting god knows how much pleasure he’d have with this sweet, good-looking babe, unless he was a bone fide sociopath, which doesn’t seem to be the case, unless other evidence comes to light.

    Sorry if I come off as chauvinistic, just telling’ it like it is.

    Since they’d been up all night, she was probably over-tired, disoriented, and took one step too far.

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