The mother of a deceased hiker is looking for answers after her daughter’s cause of death was ruled to be from accidental heat exposure.
Angela Tramonte, 31, was found dead near Camelback Mountain in July.
“I’m frustrated,” said Nancy Tramonte, Angela’s mother.
Angela was on the trail with an off-duty Phoenix police officer who let her go back down the mountain alone while he continued on the hike. She was visiting from Boston to meet him for the first time.
The two went hiking together, but he finished the hike without her after she said she was turning back because she didn’t feel well.
Police said neither of them brought water.
“It's difficult because we all are mourning her. But we can't fall back and be sad about the situation. We all have to fight,” said Gabriella Mattuchio, Angela’s cousin.
Angela was found in a backyard off of the trail. Investigators believe she was in a desperate search for water.
“She was excited but nervous,” said Mattuchio.
“She made it a point to drink a whole gallon every day. So, it's very it's hard to believe that she would go on a hike in Arizona where it was 104 degrees and not take any water,” said Mattuchio.
“My daughter was an Instagram person. She posted everything, thousands of photos per day. And she was always in the picture. And there's not one picture of her going up the mountain or even in Arizona,” said Tramonte. “None of it makes sense.”
12 News is not naming the officer because he hasn’t been charged with a crime.
Phoenix PD has indicated no disciplinary measures will be taken because no crime has been found.
The medical examiner hasn’t given an expected time frame for the full report.
Arizona Weather
Arizona has seen its fair share of severe weather. Here is a compilation of videos from various storms across the Grand Canyon state.