Family killed in cliff fall saw fame, controversy
WOODLAND, WASH. •The two women and their six adopted children travelled to festivals and events, offering free hugs and promoting unity, friends said. They raised animals and grew vegetables and last year moved onto a piece of land in rural southwest Washington, a dream of theirs.
The Hart Tribe, as they were known, also took spontaneous road trips to hike or camp, and friends believe they may have been on one of those adventures when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway.
“We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy,” said Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman on Wednesday as he appealed for help retracing where the family had been before the vehicle was found Monday.
Friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving, inspiring parents who promoted social justice and exposed their “remarkable children” to art, music and nature. One of the children, Devonte Hart, drew national attention after he was photographed hugging a police officer during a 2014 Ferguson protest in Oregon. But neighbours said they saw signs that caused them to worry about how the home-schooled children were being cared for.
Neighbours Bruce and Dana DeKalb said they called child services Friday because they were concerned about Devonte, now 15, who they said had been coming over to their house asking for food.
Dana DeKalb said Devonte told her his parents “weren’t feeding them” and were “punishing them by withholding food.” He came over almost every day for a week, and asked her to leave food by the fence for him, she said.
The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline. A specialized team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Allman said.
“We have no evidence and no reason to believe that this was an intentional act,” he said, adding that the scene was confusing because “there were no skid marks, there were no brake marks.”
Authorities believe six children were in the vehicle with their parents, though three siblings haven’t been found.
The 31-metre drop killed both women, both 39, and Markis Hart, 19, Jeremiah Hart, 14, and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16, Sierra Hart, 12, and Devonte have not been found.
“This is a tragic accident of a magnitude that cannot be measured,” said Zippy Lomax, a photographer who knew the Harts. “They were really radiant, warm, adventurous inspiring people. They were always on some grand adventure, and the kids were living this life that was kind of like this dream.”
The Harts moved to Woodland, Wash., a small city outside Portland, in the spring of last year, partly overwhelmed by the media coverage. The multi-racial family also received death threats.