Three brothers aged 6, 8 and 9 died in Texas after falling through an icy pond during the severe winter storm sweeping across large parts of the United States, authorities said on Tuesday. The tragic incident has deepened concerns over the deadly impact of extreme weather, which has already claimed more than 40 lives nationwide.
According to the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, the boys fell into a private pond on Monday in a rural area north of Bonham, a town of about 10,000 people near the Oklahoma border. The pond was located across the street from a house where the children and their mother were staying.
Mother’s desperate rescue attempt
The boys’ mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, told local television station FOX 4 that she rushed to the pond after her daughter alerted her that her brothers had fallen in. Hangaman said she jumped into the freezing water in an attempt to save her sons.
“I start running towards the pond and I jump in and I try to save them — also trying to keep myself alive because the water is freezing,” she said. Hangaman added that the cold caused her body to lock up almost instantly, leaving her unable to rescue all three children.
A neighbour who arrived at the scene managed to throw a rope and pull Hangaman out of the pond, authorities said.
Extensive rescue effort ends in tragedy
First responders and a neighbour were able to pull the two older boys from the water, but the youngest child was recovered later following an extensive search of the pond. Despite rescue efforts, all three children were pronounced dead.
On Tuesday, a layer of ice still covered much of the small pond, located in a wooded area, underscoring the dangerous conditions caused by prolonged freezing temperatures.
Community and school district mourn loss
All three brothers were elementary school students in the Bonham Independent School District, which had cancelled classes on Monday and Tuesday due to icy roads and extreme cold.
“We are devastated by this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and all who knew and loved these children,” Superintendent Lance Hamlin said in a message to parents.
The incident comes as severe cold continues to batter multiple U.S. states, with officials urging residents to exercise extreme caution during the ongoing winter storm.