Hiker's unexplained death exposes deadly alcohol withdrawal risk many don't recognize

When hiker Joanna Ruth Shields, 37, was found dead near Sykes Hot Springs in California’s Ventana Wilderness, initial speculation pointed to foul play, according to a press release from the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. However, official coroner's reports revealed her cause of death to be probable alcohol withdrawal seizures brought on by chronic alcohol use disorder . Friends who were hiking with Shields said she had gone to the river that morning. A short time later, one of them found her