Undersheriff: Man, woman, child died from exposure to cold
January 27, 2021 GMT
WEST BRANCH, Mich. (AP) A man, woman and their young son whose bodies were found in a remote area of northern Michigan died from exposure to cold weather, authorities said Wednesday.
Autopsies were performed four days after a snowmobiler found the bodies outside a pickup truck in Ogemaw County’s Rose Township. Toxicology tests will take more time.
“No foul play was involved,” Undersheriff Paul Frechette said. “The deaths are the result of tragic circumstances of the family being stranded out in the winter elements.”
Amanda Pomeroy, Douglas Dougherty and son Jacob lived in Bay City and were reported missing on Jan. 16. The boy was under a year old.
In a remote area of the northern Michigan woods, a missing Bay City couple and their infant son who had been reported missing for days died outside their disabled pickup from exposure to the cold weather, authorities said.
The tragic mystery of what happened to them captivated the community for days, and spurred family and friends to contact police, pass out flyers, and frantically search trails.
A snowmobiler Saturday spotted a vehicle in Rose Township in Ogemaw County that matched the description in the missing persons report, and deputies recovered the bodies of Amanda Pomeroy, 32; Michael Dougherty, 35, and Jacob Dougherty, 8 months.
REVEALED: Couple and their 8-month-old son found dead near their car in Michigan wilderness froze to death - but all were mysteriously found without shoes on
Amanda Pomeroy, 32; Douglas Dougherty, 35, and their eight-month-old son Jacob were found dead on Saturday in the woods in Michigan
All three were found outside their pick-up truck which authorities said was stuck on a rock, leaving them stranded in the remote area
An autopsy confirmed Wednesday the family froze to death
However, deputies cannot explain why the family was not wearing shoes
The couple leaves behind a nine-year-old daughter, Michelle, who they had left with a friend right before their two-week disappearance
Frechette called the deaths an unfortunate tragedy.
The family lived in Bay City and were reported missing on Jan. 16. The baby was under a year old and they were last seen visiting family in Ogemaw County.
All three were found outside a pickup truck, which appeared to have gotten stuck on a rock, Sheriff Brian Gilbert said.
Gilbert previously told local affiliate Local 32-WFQX that the family had traveled to the area before.
Loved ones have since created a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses. Pomeroy has another daughter who was not injured, the page says.
Dougherty’s sister, Lisa Norton, told Local 32 the victims were not wearing warm clothes when they got stuck while driving along a snowmobile track.