Two French tourists found dead in New Mexico this week may have perished in the 100+ degree temperatures and zero shade of White Sands National Monument.
Officials reported that a third victim -- a young child -- was rescued alive but severely dehydrated, after the initial discovery of a woman’s corpse on one of the state’s scenic trails led park rangers to him.
The unnamed youngster was located over a mile away beside the body of a deceased adult male and transported to a hospital to be treated for symptoms of overexposure.
The cause of death for both adults is being investigated and their consulate notified so the remains can be repatriated once autopsies have been completed.
New Mexico is famous for its dramatic but often deadly vistas: In June a celebrated Whitehouse chef who served under two presidents was found dead on a canyon riverbank in the Taos Ski Valley mountain range, after vanishing during a solo hike.
A coroner determined Walter Scheib, 61, accidentally drowned when the bone dry riverbed he was trekking turned into a deluge during a sudden rainstorm and flashflood event.
