Christopher A. Carlson, Indiana Grandpa, Charged For Forcing Grandsons On Brutal Grand Canyon Hikes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...her-a-carlson-
grand-canyon-hikes_n_945631.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — An Indiana man forced his three young
grandsons to hike 18 miles in triple-digit heat at the Grand
Canyon and denied them food and water, authorities said.

Christopher Carlson, of Indianapolis, remained jailed Thursday
on six counts of child abuse. The boys, ages 12, 9 and 8, told
investigators that they had been hit, pushed, choked, pinched
and squeezed during trips on a popular trail at the canyon's
South Rim last month.

On the latest hike over the weekend down the Bright Angel Trail,
temperatures reached 108 degrees at Phantom Ranch along the
Colorado River. A ranger spotted the group with binoculars on
the trail and saw Carlson shoving the oldest boy and whipping
him with a rolled-up T-shirt, authorities said.

National Park Service Special Agent Chris Smith testified that
Carlson told authorities that the boys had been overweight and
that he thought the hike would get them into shape.

"He told me that he loved his grandchildren very much, but at
the same time there were tough people in the world and his
grandchildren needed to be tough as well," Smith said.

Authorities said Carlson tortured and beat the boys, and
instructed them to lie to park rangers about any injuries.
Rangers and passers-by noted the alleged abuse by Carlson,
according to court documents.

The boys said Carlson also forced their fingers down their
throats, making them vomit.

Rangers fed and hydrated the boys inside an ambulance and they
were placed in the care of child protective services. One boy
had symptoms of heat stroke, while the other two exhibited signs
of heat exhaustion and dehydration.

The Bright Angel Trail can be deceiving. It starts at the top of
the canyon at around 7,000 feet in elevation and drops to 2,400
feet by the river, and the temperature varies widely. The Park
Service advises hikers not to make the trip to the river and
back in one day. Warning signs are posted at the trailhead and
along the trail.

Carlson took the children on the latest hike on Aug. 28. A man
died the same day on another trail at the Grand Canyon due to
heat exposure.

Defense attorney Luke Mulligan questioned the children's
statements, saying it seemed improbable that they could have
completed the hike without food and water. He also said the
rangers could have removed the children from the canyon had they
believed the children were at risk of serious injury or death.

"If the rangers didn't perceive it, are we going to put an extra
burden on my client to perceive it?" Mulligan said.

But prosecutors said a ranger was successful in preventing
Carlson from reaching the river on an earlier hike on Aug. 15,
cooling down the children and giving a heads-up to other
authorities in the park. Camille Bibles said Carlson was intent
on avoiding rangers during the second trip.

"We're looking at the defendant's actions here, not putting the
rangers on trial," she said.

A federal magistrate found probable cause for allegations of
child abuse and determined that Carlson, 45, was a flight risk
and a danger to children.

The boy's mother, Tara Danaher, of Indianapolis, sobbed at a
court hearing Thursday. She said her children went on trips with
their grandfather this summer, including to Central America and
Jamaica, where they have family friends. The highlight of the
latest trip that included the Grand Canyon was supposed to be
Disneyland, she said.

Danaher, 28, said she talked with her children throughout the
summer and that they never expressed any concerns.

"I don't want to say I can't believe it because anything is
possible in this world," she said during breaks in the hearing.
"I want to know what the hell happened."

August is the busiest month for search and rescue operations,
with heat being the leading contributing factor, according to
the Park Service. Of the 286 rescue operations last year, 75
percent of them occurred on the Bright Angel Trail.

"Bill Blodo" wrote in message
. theremailer.net...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...her-a-carlson-
grand-canyon-hikes_n_945631.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — An Indiana man forced his three young
grandsons to hike 18 miles in triple-digit heat at the Grand
Canyon and denied them food and water, authorities said.
[...]
August is the busiest month for search and rescue operations,
with heat being the leading contributing factor, according to
the Park Service. Of the 286 rescue operations last year, 75
percent of them occurred on the Bright Angel Trail.

A hike into the Grand Canyon in the summer months is not something to be
undertaken lightly. It is a two day trip if done sensibly. And lots of water
is a must.

The adult responsible for this insanity needs to be put in prison for about
20 years. There he can learn all about "toughness".

--
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

On 9/6/2011 2:58 PM, Edward Dolan wrote:
"Bill wrote in message
. theremailer.net...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...her-a-carlson-
grand-canyon-hikes_n_945631.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. � An Indiana man forced his three young
grandsons to hike 18 miles in triple-digit heat at the Grand
Canyon and denied them food and water, authorities said.
[...]
August is the busiest month for search and rescue operations,
with heat being the leading contributing factor, according to
the Park Service. Of the 286 rescue operations last year, 75
percent of them occurred on the Bright Angel Trail.

A hike into the Grand Canyon in the summer months is not something to be
undertaken lightly. It is a two day trip if done sensibly. And lots of water
is a must.

Drinking water without replenishing electrolytes can be almost as bad as
going without water: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia.

The adult responsible for this insanity needs to be put in prison for about
20 years. There he can learn all about "toughness".

Note the ages: grandfather 45, daughter 28, and oldest grandson 12.
That means the grandfather was only 17 when the daughter was born, and
the daughter only 16 when the oldest grandson was born. No wonder the
family is dysfunctional.

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
I am a vehicular cyclist.

""T°m [email protected]"" " wrote in message
...
On 9/6/2011 2:58 PM, Edward Dolan wrote:
"Bill wrote in
message
. theremailer.net...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...her-a-carlson-
grand-canyon-hikes_n_945631.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. ? An Indiana man forced his three young
grandsons to hike 18 miles in triple-digit heat at the Grand
Canyon and denied them food and water, authorities said.
[...]
August is the busiest month for search and rescue operations,
with heat being the leading contributing factor, according to
the Park Service. Of the 286 rescue operations last year, 75
percent of them occurred on the Bright Angel Trail.

A hike into the Grand Canyon in the summer months is not something to be
undertaken lightly. It is a two day trip if done sensibly. And lots of
water
is a must.

Drinking water without replenishing electrolytes can be almost as bad as
going without water: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia.

The adult responsible for this insanity needs to be put in prison for
about
20 years. There he can learn all about "toughness".

Note the ages: grandfather 45, daughter 28, and oldest grandson 12. That
means the grandfather was only 17 when the daughter was born, and the
daughter only 16 when the oldest grandson was born. No wonder the family
is dysfunctional.

Both my parents were almost 40 before they had me. No wonder I am so Great!

In traditional societies with closely knit families, I think it is quite
normal to have children at very young ages, but in advanced Western
societies it is a catastrophe for everyone concerned.

--
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

On Sep 6, 7:46*pm, "T°m [email protected]" ""twshermanREMOVE\"@THI
$southslope.net" wrote:
On 9/6/2011 2:58 PM, Edward Dolan wrote:

"Bill *wrote in message
.theremailer.net...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...her-a-carlson-
grand-canyon-hikes_n_945631.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. An Indiana man forced his three young
grandsons to hike 18 miles in triple-digit heat at the Grand
Canyon and denied them food and water, authorities said.
[...]
August is the busiest month for search and rescue operations,
with heat being the leading contributing factor, according to
the Park Service. Of the 286 rescue operations last year, 75
percent of them occurred on the Bright Angel Trail.

A hike into the Grand Canyon in the summer months is not something to be
undertaken lightly. It is a two day trip if done sensibly. And lots of water
is a must.

Drinking water without replenishing electrolytes can be almost as bad as
going without water: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia.

The adult responsible for this insanity needs to be put in prison for about
20 years. There he can learn all about "toughness".

Note the ages: grandfather 45, daughter 28, and oldest grandson 12.
That means the grandfather was only 17 when the daughter was born, and
the daughter only 16 when the oldest grandson was born. *No wonder the
family is dysfunctional.

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
I am a vehicular cyclist.

Reply,
I have known indians, personally, and they think differently than
we do. The desert indians took pride in being able to cross huge
stretches of desert without water or food. It was a rite of passage
into warrior-hood. But, they also had the sense to not travel during
the day, when it's extremely hot and the sun cooking the moisture out
of their body, but traveled at night when it was relatively
cooler. But, they also realized that they needed to do lots of
physical conditioning to be able to do that over a long period of
time. That's where gramps above missed out. What he did is abuse.
As to the young age at having kids issue, if you check history,
prior to this "modern" age, it was normal to marry at young ages like
15, 16, 17.

"Sandlin" wrote in message
...
[...]
Reply, I have known indians, personally, and they think differently than
we do. The desert indians took pride in being able to cross huge
stretches of desert without water or food. It was a rite of passage
into warrior-hood. But, they also had the sense to not travel during
the day, when it's extremely hot and the sun cooking the moisture out
of their body, but traveled at night when it was relatively
cooler. But, they also realized that they needed to do lots of
physical conditioning to be able to do that over a long period of
time. That's where gramps above missed out. What he did is abuse.

Not even Indians live like Indians anymore.

As to the young age at having kids issue, if you check history,
prior to this "modern" age, it was normal to marry at young ages like
15, 16, 17.

Sandlin is quite right about the age factor. Hells Bells, the only time in
my life I wouldn't have minded being married was when I was in my mid-teens.
By the time I was 20 I knew better and only wanted to live my life as a
single. Frankly, no one is even sexy after age 20.

--
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota