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Three young brothers died during a winter storm in Texas after getting into an icy pond when one of the children got into trouble and the others tried to help, according to authorities and family accounts.
The victims, all elementary school students, got into difficulty in a frozen pond in Bonham, a city about 60 miles northeast of Dallas, triggering a desperate effort by their mother and a neighbor to save them, FOX 4 reported.
Relatives told FOX 4 that the victims were brothers ages 6, 8 and 9.
The tragedy unfolded when the youngest child, Howard, went underwater first and his older brothers went in after him to help, the boys’ mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, told FOX 4.
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Kaleb, left, Howard and EJ are shown in family-provided photos. The three brothers died in Fannin County, Texas. (Courtesy of family / FOX 4)
“I started running toward the pond and I jumped in. I tried to save them while also trying to keep myself alive,” Hangaman said. “As soon as I jumped in, I locked up. I couldn’t do anything.”
Hangaman said a local high school football coach also tried to help the boys out of the freezing water.
The boys’ mother eventually had to be pulled out by a neighbor.
“It was one of me and three of them, and they all needed me at one time. I just couldn’t… I couldn’t save them,” she said.
The 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy were pulled from the water by a neighbor and first responders, the outlet reported. They were rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Their 6-year-old brother never resurfaced. His body was recovered after an extensive search of the pond.
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Drivers navigate icy road conditions on a major roadway, Monday, in Carrollton, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
As she mourned the loss of her three sons, Hangaman shared memories of their distinct personalities and the moments that defined them.
“My oldest one, EJ — he didn’t care about nothing but football and getting his haircut. He wanted to play sports,” she said. “Kaleb’s personality was out of this world; he was the sweetest boy I ever met. And Howard — he was just goofy. He would liven the party. He was the first one who went in and the other boys tried to save him. That’s how they ended up in there.”
Bonham Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Lance Hamlin sent a letter to parents expressing grief over what he described as an “unimaginable loss.”
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we inform our community of the tragic passing of three elementary students. We are devastated by this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and all who knew and loved these children,” Hamlin wrote, per FOX 4, adding that the district was working to provide ongoing support for the family, students and staff.
The tragedy marked the second fatal incident involving North Texas students during the winter storm.
On Sunday, Elizabeth Angle, a 16-year-old Frisco student at Wakeland High School, was killed in a sledding accident, authorities said.
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Snow-covered streets and buildings are seen during Monday’s winter storm in Dallas. (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Angle, a sophomore and soccer player, and another teenage girl were being pulled on a sled by a 16-year-old boy driving a Jeep when the sled hit a curb and crashed into a tree, police said. Angle died at the scene.
The second girl remained on life support.
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Police said the investigation remains active. The department warned citizens that snow and ice can create extremely slippery surfaces and lead to serious or even deadly accidents.
A winter storm brought heavy snow and crippling ice to large swaths of the nation, including Texas, over the weekend. Most areas in North Texas were covered in ice, sleet and snow, creating hazardous conditions.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.