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Subject: DEATH: STOTKO, BRITTANY
Date: 1 Feb 2006 17:33:09 -0700

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Daily Independent newspaper Ridgecrest CA Kern County
January 8, 2006 Front Page

SEARCH FOR MISSING WOMAN ENDS TRAGICALLY
China Lake Rescue Group Participates in Search

A missing woman was found dead Friday approximately one mile from where her car had become stuck in snow in Pine Creek. The woman's body was found two days after her mother was rescued from where the car had become stuck.
Brittany Stotko, 19, and her mother Stacy Stotko were reported missing during a trip from Bishop to Crowley Lake. The pair were stranded during a snowstorm in Pine Creek on Jan. 1 acording to information from the Inyo County Sheriff's Department.
Around 8 am on tuesday Brittany hiked away from the vehicle intending to go for help.
On Wednesday their car was located by search aircraft at approximately 7:45 am near the west end of Pine Creek at about the 7,500 foot level. Stacy was rescued from the vehicle by searchers on snowmobiles and told rescuers her daughter had left the previous day.
Search teams comprised of local Inyo and Mono County Search and Rescue members and citizen volunteers immediately initiated a new search for Brittany.
On Thursday members of the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group joined in the search and were joined on Friday by teams from Ventura and San Bernardino Counties.
Brittany was found around 9:55 am about one half mile from where her mother had been found. Brittany had apparently succumbed to the effects of hypothermia and exposure.
"The lessons from this are number one to tell someone where you're going - which they did - and number two stay with the vehicle," said China Lake Mountain Rescue Group Coordinator. "Mom was trapped in the vehicle for three days but they found her - we can find vehicles."
Brittany had left thevehicle wearing inadequate clothing for the temperatures and waded through two to three feet of fresh snow the entire way according to the press release.
"Saying she was dressed inadequately for the weather is a major understatement. She was wearing Levi's, leather dress shoes and a leather jacket. I don't think she was wearing a hat - she shouldn't have left the car."
The China Lake Coordinator said that Levi's are poor protection in wet weather because of how quickly they become saturated.
"Just think of how long it takes for your dryer to dry a pair of Levi's and you can see why their (sic) a bad choice for wet weather.
The pair had been shopping before they became stranded and had about a week's worth of food in the car.
"There was no reason to leave the car. The weather was rotten, really rotten."
The weather was so bad that aircraft could not be used in the search until Wednesday. The Bishop area got up to 12 inches of snow from the storm on Monday.
"My theory is that this was their first winter in the area. It didn't have to happen. It's a lot of bad judgement and they weren't prepared at all."
People traveling during bad weather should seek shelter as soon as possible. If the weather's bad, go find some shelter while you can.
Travelers should make sure their vehicle is stocked with blankets, water, food and clothing if they are likely to be traveling in bad weather.
Somethine as simple as a raincoat or poncho whould have been much better than Levi's.
Inyo County Sheriff's Deputies recovered Brittany's body from the canyon and released her to the Inyo County coroner's Office.
Stacy was transported by snowmobile down the canyon and met with a waiting helicopter that flew her to Bishop. She was examined at Northern Inyo Hospital and later released.
The initial search for the duo was focused on the Lower Rock Creek and Shewin Grade portion of Mono County. The search was expanded into Inyo County when information was developed that the pair may have mistaken Pine Creek Road for Lower Rock Creek.
Other agencies involved in the search included the California Highway Patrol, Southern California Edison, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Inyo County Road Department, California Department of Forestry, United States Forest Service as well as volunteers, friends and family.

There is a another article in the News Review newspaper, Ridgecrest CA in January 11, 2006 edition.

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