Sweat lodge deaths investigated as homicides
Story Highlights
2 die, 19 injured in sweat lodge at Arizona retreat
Self-help author James Arthur Ray sponsored the program
"We believe there are indications that it was not accidental," police say
Ray says he's hired private investigators to determine what happened
(CNN) -- An investigation into the deaths of two people who spent up to two hours inside a "sweat lodge" at an Arizona retreat last week has been elevated from an accidental death investigation to a homicide inquiry, Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh told reporters Thursday.
Authorities said James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, New York, died Friday at the Angel Valley Resort after spending up to two hours in the sauna-like sweat lodge. Nineteen others were treated for injuries. One person remained hospitalized Thursday in critical condition, Waugh said.
The dead and injured were attending a program by self-help author James Arthur Ray, authorities said.
A search warrant was executed Wednesday at the James Ray International offices in Carlsbad, California, the sheriff said. Authorities were attempting to determine whether documents exist on how to construct sweat lodges and on their proper use, as well as documents showing whether participants were advised of the risks of sweat lodges either before or during the program. They also were searching for rosters from past events, Waugh said.
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Sweat lodge deaths investigated as homicides
having a nurse there was somewhat of a good idea, however a nurse is the last person you'd want in an emergency of this type. they are used to a clinical environment instead of the middle of nowhere. it would have been better to have a paramedic or a military paramedic out there
ReplyDeleteYou could be right but right now, this is not making much sense at all to me.
ReplyDeleteI am Lakota Sioux from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, the sweatlodge is very sacred to us. The exchange of money too sweat is forbidden amongst our tribes. When money is involved in a form of greed. Then the ceremony will not work out, as we seen what happened to these two poor white people. Who did not know any better. James Ray, should be held accountable for his actions. Cause, what he did was not the Lakota Way. Leave these ceremonies to us Natives.
ReplyDeleteSweat lodges, cleansing ceremonies, looking after the mentally ill or the "touched" are part of what your culture gave to us, but as with everything else, it ends up getting manipulated, as you said, by greed.
ReplyDeleteThe question is, where does support stop and greed begin?
This was not a traditional sweat lodge. Traditional sweats do not use plastic tarps for one thing.
ReplyDeleteTraditional sweats are done only by those who know what they are doing, not by New Age Guru's or self help types. They are usually done only in traditional native circles and then very carefully watched.
Money is never exchanged in a proper ceremony.
As well someone recently filmed inside a so called sweat. No traditional sweat would allow such a thing, it's sacreligious.
James Ray is not Native. He had no real knowledge of how to run a sweat. Sweats are not to be played with and sadly people have died due to massive negligence on Ray's part and utter stupidity.
A few things;
ReplyDeleteNo self respective Native would use a plastic tarp in a sweat ceremony.
No ceremony would allow filming inside. The recent filming was not of a true Sweat. Such a thing is sacred and no one in their right mind would allow filming in a true ceremony.
James Ray had no Native background, no real knowledge of how to run a sweat. People were burned, people died because he was negligent, presumptuous, and uninformed.
Most true sweats will check for health issues prior to going in. They also know how to regulate the fire and steam so as not to cause burns and or health issues from over heating. No one who knows anything about a sweat would have people sit there for over two hours when they have never been exposed to such a thing.
Also without proper cleansing of the body, preparation, and nutrition ahead of time, the toxins leave the body too rapidly and can cause the shock that would lead to dehydration and death.
As Jerry Clown pointed out no money is ever taken. This alone is a clue that this is not a proper ceremony and should be avoided.
Playing with sweats or native ways is no joke. There are many ways to approach Creator. For those who are not Native there are many rich religious traditions to be a part of without any concerns or issues. It is important to follow traditions you know, and to be very wary of anyone who would sell in any way any so called Native traditions or ways.
Those poor people...I hope James Ray is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
After hearing about this tradgedy, I can only come to one conclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis was the fault of the designer of the structure. The bright blue blanket (or more likely PLASTIC tarp), contributed to the deaths and illnessess.
There have also been unconfirmed reports that the structure was created using plastic (PVC?) tubing.
If these two assumptions are accurate, then the heat of the lodge was enough to heat the plastic tarp and tubing to the point where they gave off toxic fumes.
They also didn’t have a permit to build the lodge, and something that big definately needs a permit and needs to be inspected by a professional.
Anyone who charges even one dollar for the services of a sweat lodge, doesn’t understand the meaning or purpose of the lodge.
toxins leaving the body too fast causing dehydration and death. what??? no, that's not how it works. get too hot, get overheated. water and electrolytes
ReplyDeleteleave the body too fast leading to (in order) heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, seizures, death. my source: 18 years on an ambulance as EMS provider....