Tragedy: Boy collapses and dies after family hike in triple-digit temperatures

A young boy has died after hiking with his family in Arizona.

Tragically, nine-year-old Cortinez Logan collapsed while walking in South Mountain Park and Preserve near Phoenix on Tuesday (July 2).

That day, temperatures reportedly reached a stifling 113°F.

Authorities reported that the Logan family began climbing the mountain around 9:30 a.m. and spoke to emergency services five to six hours later, between 2 and 3 p.m.

Once they arrived, first responders attempted to resuscitate the boy with CPR on the trail but were unable to do so, according to reports.

Cortinez was later airlifted from the mountain to a nearby hospital where he died “from a heat-related medical event.”

Authorities said Cortinez began losing consciousness intermittently early in the afternoon.

He had just moved to the city with his family, after previously living in Missouri.

Phoenix Fire Capt. Todd Keller urged hikers to stay hydrated and always carry a cell phone.

He said: “If you have someone who hasn’t hydrated properly, who isn’t drinking enough water, the heat can affect them within minutes.

“When you’re halfway through your water intake, you’re halfway through your hike.

“If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, stop, turn around, and come back another day. Just because you didn’t reach the top of the mountain doesn’t mean it wasn’t a successful hike.”

Captain Keller continued, “Our firefighters are the best trained rescuers in the world. They know the heat is coming, but it’s affecting them.

“That’s why we always say that if you go up the mountain, you put yourself in danger and you put our rescuers in danger.”

Despite the heat, the Logan family went hiking as the South Mountain trails remained open all day Tuesday.

Standard protocol typically calls for Phoenix trails to be closed on days when there are heat warnings, but the National Weather Service did not issue an extreme heat warning that day.

Weather service officials reported that the morning heat in Sky Harbor broke records with a scorching 92°F sun over the area – the previous record was 90°F, and that was 9°F warmer than normal.

The NWS has issued an excessive heat warning for the upcoming holiday weekend.

Police are investigating Cortinez’s death.

UNILAD has reached out to the Phoenix Police Department for comment.