NEED TO KNOW
- Two children were found in critical condition after they, their sibling and their 31-year-old father were reported missing during a hike, authorities said
- The family was found on Sunday, Oct. 12, after spending the night in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the local sheriff’s office said in a news release
- The third child is in a stable condition and the father is in a “fair” condition, police added
Two children are in critical condition after a family went missing while on a hike in Utah over the weekend, authorities said.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, a 31-year-old father and his three kids — a 2-year-old boy, a 4-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl — went walking in the Broads Fork Trail area in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release obtained by PEOPLE.
The family was later reported missing and their vehicle was located in the Broads Fork parking lot, officials added.
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After a search and rescue mission was initiated, first responders found the man and children on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 12, and all four of them were taken to local hospitals “for medical evaluation and treatment,” according to the release.
Two of the children were found in critical condition while the third was stable and the father was in fair condition, the sheriff’s office said.
No further details regarding the family’s injuries were released. They have not been publicly identified.
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter crew and LifeFlight helped amid the search and rescue efforts, and an official investigation is ongoing.
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Big Cottonwood Canyon welcomes visitors to “revel in the rugged vistas” year-round, offering several hiking and biking trails as well as multiple bars and restaurants in the area, according to the Visit Salt Lake website.
Additional details regarding the family will be released as it becomes available, the sheriff’s office said.
A Utah Department of Public Safety spokesperson did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
