A tragic accident in Texas has claimed the lives of a woman and a toddler, while two children remain hospitalized after a car plunged into the San Jacinto River.
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Emergency services were dispatched on Friday, April 25, after witnesses reported seeing a car plunge into the water and submerge near the 17300 block of Market Street in Channelview, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez in a Facebook post.
Texas Authorities Suspect the Woman Suffered a Medical Emergency Before the Car Plunged into the River
A woman was recovered from the water and pronounced dead at the scene, Gonzalez confirmed in a follow-up social media post. In a separate update, he suggested that the woman, who had been driving the car, may have experienced a medical emergency.
The two other children, reportedly aged 5 and 7, are currently hospitalized and listed as being in “fair condition,” according to Gonzalez.
At a news conference, Harris County Major Cedric Collier confirmed the incident involved a single vehicle. He explained that the car was traveling eastbound before it veered into the water, according to KHOU 11.
The dead toddler was discovered “restrained in a car seat in the back seat near the rear passenger door,” Collier added.
He explained that the two rescued children said their mother, who was confirmed to be the deceased woman, showed signs of “distress” before the incident.
Texas officials are working to identify the exact cause of the crash.
The identity of the deceased woman has not yet been released by authorities.
“Until we can actually get a relative or some positive identification, we’re not going to speculate who she is. But the main thing at this point is to care for the children that’s left behind and make sure their family members are made aware of their whereabouts,” Collier explained.