Latest news with #Slaton
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
A missing woman was found against the odds in the California mountains. Now, people are doubting her story
Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, Tiffany Slaton stood in front of a room of reporters and recounted the grueling details of her against-the-odds survival in the California mountains. After setting out on a three-day hiking trip in the Huntington Lake region, the 28-year-old hiker from Georgia claims she fell off a cliff and was unconscious for two hours, and needed to put her leg in a splint. She began trekking in search of help after her GPS was unable to provide a route back to the main road, but which could locate a Starbucks which was 18 miles away, she said. Slaton disappeared on April 20, but reportedly survived for some three weeks in the wilderness, eating wild leeks, boiling snow melt for water and even surviving 13 snowstorms despite losing both her tent and her sleeping bag in her fall. She was found by authorities in a cabin on May 14. 'I ended up on this very long, arduous journey that I journaled to try and keep sane, and eventually managed to get to civilization,' Slaton told reporters at the conference two days later. 'I haven't really gone through all of the details. I ran out of a lot of food after five days, but I will do my best to answer any questions that you may have.' But while authorities and Slaton's family were overjoyed at her safe return, many others have raised their eyebrows at the veracity of her tale. 'Something's very off about the story. I don't believe her at all,' wrote one user in reply to the press conference, posted on the Fresno County Sheriff's Facebook page. 'I think she's just looking for fame or money.' Added another: 'I'm sorry, not sorry. This lady put a lot of lives at risk by being reckless with her own … She is not a hero and people should not glorify her or her story as one.' 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story,' added a third. 'So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used. It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived two hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg.' A GoFundMe page for Slaton, organized by her family, was shut down on Monday, after raising more than $23,500. Her parents said there had been 'negative feedback that has arose from these events.' 'It has taken a lot to endure the attacks and attention asking for help has brought us,' Slaton's mother, Fredrina Slaton, wrote on GoFundMe. According to the Fresno County Sheriff, Slaton's family reported her missing on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days. The fundraiser was started a week later and continued to accept donations for a while after she was found. Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said that the department is still investigating various elements of Slaton's story, including her exact route and how her phone was able to access GPS while she could not call 911. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called Slaton's journey 'an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' saying it is 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Missing woman was 'miraculously' found in California's mountains. Then came the chorus of skeptics
In the days following missing camper Tiffany Slaton's rescue from the Sierra National Forest, what began as a heartwarming tale of a woman surviving against all odds has been tinged by a chorus of online skeptics questioning the hiker and her family. While many have praised the tenacity of the 28-year-old Georgia woman, others have expressed doubts about the veracity of her shocking survival story and have criticized her family's fundraising motives. Slaton had set out for a three-day camping trip in the Huntington Lake area on April 20 but wound up surviving three weeks in the wilderness — eating wild leeks and boiling snow melt for potable water — before she was found on May 14 in a cabin near Lake Edison, she said during a Friday news conference. Slaton said she became lost after she fell off a cliff and was unable to return to the main road due to an avalanche. After the tumble she was unconscious for two hours. When she woke, she splinted one of her legs and popped her other knee back into place. She proceeded to journey many miles while seeking civilization, overcoming 13 snowstorms and two landslides, she said. Along the way, she lost her electric bike, tent, two sleeping bags and phone. Read more: Missing camper 'miraculously' found alive after surviving weeks in snowy High Sierra After she was rescued, medics determined she was dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. After the news conference, comments questioning her story began streaming onto the Fresno County Sheriff Office's social media, news articles about the rescue and a Reddit post dedicated to discussing "odd details" in her story. "I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story. So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used," a person wrote on the sheriff's office's Facebook. "It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived 2 hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg." Slaton has not spoken with the media since the news conference. Her mother, Fredrina Slaton, declined an interview request from The Times on her behalf. On Monday, her parents shut down donations to their GoFundMe page, which had raised more than $23,500, citing "negative feedback that has arose from these events." "It has taken a lot to endure the attacks and attention asking for help has brought us," Fredrina Slaton wrote on GoFundMe. Slaton's parents reported their daughter missing on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days. They launched the fundraiser on May 7 and continued to accept donations after she was found, citing the need to cover travel expenses to California. "At this time, we aren't taking any interviews," Fredrina Slaton told the Times in a Wednesday statement. "We are focusing on Tiffany's health and well being." Bobby Slaton, Tiffany's father, has defended his daughter's survival tale, writing on GoFundMe, "Believe it or not, we even thank those who have questioned the merit of the events — That is what makes miracles so unbelievable." Experienced Sierra mountain guide Howie Schwartz said he doesn't doubt Slaton was lost in the wilderness, but said there is lot that doesn't make sense about her story. "It doesn't seem like a story you can really wrap your head around," Schwartz told The Times. "Falling off a cliff, having to splint her leg. You don't splint your leg unless your leg is broken and if your leg is broken, you're not walking miles on it." Schwartz was guiding a five-day ski trip in the Mono Recesses in the Sierra while Slaton was missing and saw helicopters searching for her. He confirmed that there were still late-season snowstorms passing through the region, but noted that Huntington and Edison lakes' elevation is low enough that precipitation likely came down as rain. Another detail many internet sleuths have fixated on is Slaton's experience with her phone. She said she was unable to contact 911, but got GPS information for a Starbucks location. "I eventually got mad at my GPS and decided to ask, 'Well, where is the nearest Starbucks?" she said at the news conference. "It was like, 'Oh, well, we can answer that question. It's 18 miles from here.'" Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said that the department does not yet have a clear understanding of all aspects of Slaton's survival story — such as the exact route she traveled while missing, or how her phone could not contact 911 but directed her to a Starbucks. "We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses," Botti said in a statement to The Times. "If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it." The department is still investigating Slaton's journey and has found tracks lining up with her path, but has not recovered any of her missing belongings, Botti said. Some people have accused Slaton of seeking attention with her story, pointing to her comment during the news conference that she was interested in going on the survival show "Alone" in which participants are left in the wilderness with only a backpack. "Option 1: she's mentally ill and needs help. Option 2: She greatly embellished the story to cover her horrendous disregard for common sense Option 3: A contrived story looking for a book deal and [Go]FundMe revenue," one person wrote on Reddit. "Anyone who knows the area would agree." Some critics have lambasted her for failing to bring a satellite contact device — which allows people to send messages in areas without cell service — arguing she wasted law enforcement resources in the search for her. Botti defended Slaton, saying that the woman didn't report herself missing and "there is no evidence to show she knew we were searching for her." Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called Slaton's journey "an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival" saying it is "something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about." The Sheriff's Office began searching for Slaton after her parents reported her missing and, thanks to tips from the public, learned she had last been seen at Huntington Lake on April 20. The Sheriff's Search and Rescue team scoured nearly 600 square miles of the High Sierra looking for Slaton from May 6 to 10. Vehicles were unable to make it through Kaiser Pass because of heavy snow blocking the road, but helicopters were used to scout above Mono Hot Springs and around Lake Edison, where Slaton was ultimately found. The Sheriff's Office announced that the missing hiker was "miraculously found alive" on May 14 at Vermilion Valley Resort, which is more than 20 miles from where she was last seen. Resort owner Christopher Gutierrez found Slaton inside a cabin when he went to check-in on the condition of his resort in advance of reopening for the summer season. Gutierrez commended Slaton's wilderness skills during a news conference last week, saying he was awed by how she endured a blizzard and foraged for survival. "She has stories, she could write a book," he said. "It's just unbelievable." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
22-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Missing woman was ‘miraculously' found in California's mountains. Then came the chorus of skeptics
In the days following missing camper Tiffany Slaton's rescue from the Sierra National Forest, what began as a heartwarming tale of a woman surviving against all odds has been tinged by a chorus of online skeptics questioning the hiker and her family. While many have praised the tenacity of the 28-year-old Georgia woman, others have expressed doubts about the veracity of her shocking survival story and have criticized her family's fundraising motives. Slaton had set out for a three-day camping trip in the Huntington Lake area on April 20 but wound up surviving three weeks in the wilderness — eating wild leeks and boiling snow melt for potable water — before she was found on May 14 in a cabin near Lake Edison, she said during a Friday news conference. Slaton said she became lost after she fell off a cliff and was unable to return to the main road due to an avalanche. After the tumble she was unconscious for two hours. When she woke, she splinted one of her legs and popped her other knee back into place. She proceeded to journey many miles while seeking civilization, overcoming 13 snowstorms and two landslides, she said. Along the way, she lost her electric bike, tent, two sleeping bags and phone. After she was rescued, medics determined she was dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. After the news conference, comments questioning her story began streaming onto the Fresno County Sheriff Office's social media, news articles about the rescue and a Reddit post dedicated to discussing 'odd details' in her story. 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story. So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used,' a person wrote on the sheriff's office's Facebook. 'It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived 2 hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg.' Slaton has not spoken with the media since the news conference. Her mother, Fredrina Slaton, declined an interview request from The Times on her behalf. On Monday, her parents shut down donations to their GoFundMe page, which had raised more than $23,500, citing 'negative feedback that has arose from these events.' 'It has taken a lot to endure the attacks and attention asking for help has brought us,' Fredrina Slaton wrote on GoFundMe. Slaton's parents reported their daughter missing on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days. They launched the fundraiser on May 7 and continued to accept donations after she was found, citing the need to cover travel expenses to California. 'At this time, we aren't taking any interviews,' Fredrina Slaton told the Times in a Wednesday statement. 'We are focusing on Tiffany's health and well being.' Bobby Slaton, Tiffany's father, has defended his daughter's survival tale, writing on GoFundMe, 'Believe it or not, we even thank those who have questioned the merit of the events — That is what makes miracles so unbelievable.' Experienced Sierra mountain guide Howie Schwartz said he doesn't doubt Slaton was lost in the wilderness, but said there is lot that doesn't make sense about her story. 'It doesn't seem like a story you can really wrap your head around,' Schwartz told The Times. 'Falling off a cliff, having to splint her leg. You don't splint your leg unless your leg is broken and if your leg is broken, you're not walking miles on it.' Schwartz was guiding a five-day ski trip in the Mono Recesses in the Sierra while Slaton was missing and saw helicopters searching for her. He confirmed that there were still late-season snowstorms passing through the region, but noted that Huntington and Edison lakes' elevation is low enough that precipitation likely came down as rain. Another detail many internet sleuths have fixated on is Slaton's experience with her phone. She said she was unable to contact 911, but got GPS information for a Starbucks location. 'I eventually got mad at my GPS and decided to ask, 'Well, where is the nearest Starbucks?' she said at the news conference. 'It was like, 'Oh, well, we can answer that question. It's 18 miles from here.'' Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said that the department does not yet have a clear understanding of all aspects of Slaton's survival story — such as the exact route she traveled while missing, or how her phone could not contact 911 but directed her to a Starbucks. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said in a statement to The Times. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' The department is still investigating Slaton's journey and has found tracks lining up with her path, but has not recovered any of her missing belongings, Botti said. Some people have accused Slaton of seeking attention with her story, pointing to her comment during the news conference that she was interested in going on the survival show 'Alone' in which participants are left in the wilderness with only a backpack. 'Option 1: she's mentally ill and needs help. Option 2: She greatly embellished the story to cover her horrendous disregard for common sense Option 3: A contrived story looking for a book deal and [Go]FundMe revenue,' one person wrote on Reddit. 'Anyone who knows the area would agree.' Some critics have lambasted her for failing to bring a satellite contact device — which allows people to send messages in areas without cell service — arguing she wasted law enforcement resources in the search for her. Botti defended Slaton, saying that the woman didn't report herself missing and 'there is no evidence to show she knew we were searching for her.' Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called Slaton's journey 'an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival' saying it is 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.' The Sheriff's Office began searching for Slaton after her parents reported her missing and, thanks to tips from the public, learned she had last been seen at Huntington Lake on April 20. The Sheriff's Search and Rescue team scoured nearly 600 square miles of the High Sierra looking for Slaton from May 6 to 10. Vehicles were unable to make it through Kaiser Pass because of heavy snow blocking the road, but helicopters were used to scout above Mono Hot Springs and around Lake Edison, where Slaton was ultimately found. The Sheriff's Office announced that the missing hiker was 'miraculously found alive' on May 14 at Vermilion Valley Resort, which is more than 20 miles from where she was last seen. Resort owner Christopher Gutierrez found Slaton inside a cabin when he went to check-in on the condition of his resort in advance of reopening for the summer season. Gutierrez commended Slaton's wilderness skills during a news conference last week, saying he was awed by how she endured a blizzard and foraged for survival. 'She has stories, she could write a book,' he said. 'It's just unbelievable.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Black Woman Who Went Missing In California Mountains Shares How She Survived
What started as a simple three-day solo camping trip in Fresno County, Calif., turned into a 24-day journey of survival in the Sierra Nevada mountains for 28-year-old Tiffany Slaton. She was reported missing by her parents on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days, NBC News reported. Her initial excursion began on April 20 with Slaton equipped with basic camping supplies — two sleeping bags and a tent — as well as an electric bike because she assumed she'd only be gone for a few days. Early on, the Jeffersonville, Ga., native fell off a cliff and wasn't able to return to the main road because of a recent avalanche. During a press conference held on Friday (May 16) following her rescue, she explained how she survived. Slaton told local authorities she was unconscious for roughly two hours. Upon regaining consciousness, Slaton revealed she had to splint one of her legs and 'pop the other knee back into place.' She made five unsuccessful attempts to call 911 and her phone's navigation wasn't working. She wound up asking for the location of the closest Starbucks, which was 18 miles away and closer than retracing her path back to the park's entrance. With the help of her skills as a 'high-level archer,' her 'medical knowledge as a traveling dialysis technician,' and horticultural training, she powered through and journaled daily to 'keep sane.' 'The worst thing you can do in an emergency situation is panic,' Slaton shared. She ran out of most of her food after five days and made tea daily with manzanita and pine needles. By the time she was rescued on Wednesday (May 14), local authorities noted that Slaton had endured 13 snowstorms, climbed to altitudes of 11,000 feet, and lost 10 pounds. The search-and-rescue operation ran from May 6 through May 10. She was ultimately located at the Vermilion Valley Resort cabin the day before her 28th birthday by the resort's owner Christopher Gutierrez. 'That was the 13th heavy snowstorm I had been in, and it was going to be the last one. If he hadn't come that day, they would've found my body there,' Slaton stated. Admittedly, Slaton thought the cabin was a hallucination. Gutierrez told authorities he left the cabin unlocked in case a stranded hiker would need shelter. 'She pops out, didn't say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug. And it was, it was a pretty surreal moment,' Gutierrez said at a press conference Wednesday. 'And that's when I knew. That's when I realized who this was.' Gutierrez recognized her from the missing person report. Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni described Slaton's story as one 'they would make movies about.' He continued, 'It is truly an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival.' More from 'Mob Wives' Star Natalie DiDonato Found Safe After Being Reported Missing Carlee Russell, Missing Alabama Woman, Returns Home On Foot Ice-T Shares "Serious Post" To Help Locate Missing Person
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hiker missing for 3 weeks details her survival journey in California mountains
The day before Tiffany Slaton's 28th birthday, she was looking forward to eating a pack of Dunkaroos — cookies with frosting dip — that she'd saved as a makeshift birthday cake. It was the only real food she had left after surviving 24 days lost in the Sierra Nevada mountains, subsisting on wild leeks and boiled snow. What had originally started as a three-day solo camping vacation around Shaver and Huntington lakes in Fresno County, California, turned into a weekslong journey of survival. It ended at a cabin more than 40 miles away, at Vermillion Valley Resort, where Slaton was found by the resort's owner on Wednesday. By the time she was rescued, Slaton had endured 13 snowstorms and climbed to altitudes of 11,000 feet, officials said Friday. In addition to dropping 10 pounds from the ordeal, she also lost her tent and sleeping bags, and was forced to abandon her bike at a trailhead sign. At a press conference Friday alongside her parents and Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Slaton spoke publicly about her journey for the first time. Zanoni called her story one 'they would make movies about.' 'It is truly an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' the sheriff added. Slaton, an experienced outdoors person from Jeffersonville, Georgia, was reported missing by her parents on April 29 after they had not heard from her in nine days, authorities said. A full-scale operation to locate Slaton was conducted from May 6 to May 10, spanning 600 square miles and deploying a helicopter. Local authorities and volunteers covered 4,300 miles by foot and vehicle in search of Slaton, officials said Friday. Slaton began her trek on April 20, equipped with basic camping supplies, including an electric bike, two sleeping bags and a tent, anticipating she would be gone for only a few days. Early in her journey, Slaton fell off a cliff, she said, and was unable to return to the main road due to a recent avalanche. She was unconscious for about two hours, and upon regaining consciousness she had to splint one of her legs and 'pop the other knee back into place.' She attempted five calls to 911 — without success — and couldn't get her phone's navigation system to work, she said Friday. Frustrated, she asked her phone for the location of the nearest Starbucks — it gave her a location 18 miles away, which was closer than retracing her path back to the park's entrance. Slaton pressed on, relying on her resourcefulness and what she could find in the wilderness. Her skills as a high-level archer, her medical knowledge as a traveling dialysis technician and her horticultural training proved crucial to her survival. She journaled every day in an effort to 'keep sane.' 'The worst thing you can do in an emergency situation is panic,' Slaton said. After five days, Slaton ran out of most of her food and relied on her foraging skills to gather leeks she knew to be native in the Sierra Nevada range. She said she made tea each day with manzanita and pine needles. Slaton navigated the Kaiser Pass, a 9,000-foot peak buried under 10 to 12 feet of snow before it was plowed earlier this week. She eventually made her way to the Vermilion Valley and Lake Edison, where she was finally rescued. When Slaton first saw the Vermilion Valley Resort cabin, she thought she was hallucinating and 'had somehow managed to make it to the North Pole.' She opened the door, which was unlocked, and inside she found what she described as 'the best sleeping bag I had ever seen.' Slaton was found on Wednesday — the day before her 28th birthday — by resort owner Christopher Gutierrez. Snowplows had cleared the roads, allowing him access to his property to prepare it for the summer. Gutierrez told authorities he left the cabin unlocked in case a stranded hiker would need shelter. 'That was the 13th heavy snowstorm I had been in, and it was going to be the last one,' Slaton said. 'If he hadn't come that day, they would've found my body there.' Zanoni called it a 'miracle' that the road happened to be plowed on Tuesday, enabling Gutierrez to arrive the next day. When Slaton was found, the resort owner said he recognized her from her missing person report. 'She pops out, didn't say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug. And it was, it was a pretty surreal moment,' Gutierrez said at a press conference Wednesday. 'And that's when I knew. That's when I realized who this was.' This article was originally published on
