Emergency crews rushed to the 17300 block of Market Street after multiple witnesses reported seeing a vehicle “enter the water and submerge,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a Facebook post.
Authorities pulled a woman — believed to be the driver — from the water, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriff Gonzalez later said she may have suffered “some type of medical emergency” before losing control of the vehicle.
Inside the submerged car, rescue workers also found a young girl, still strapped into her car seat, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two Young Survivors, Critical Questions
Two other children, estimated to be 5 and 7 years old, were rescued and transported to a nearby hospital, where they are reported to be in “fair condition,” Gonzalez confirmed.
At a press conference, Harris County Major Cedric Collier explained that the incident involved only the one vehicle, which had been traveling eastbound before veering off into the river.
The strong river current pushed the car northward, where it became completely submerged in approximately six to seven feet of water, Collier said.
The infant who died was discovered “restrained in a car seat in the back seat near the rear passenger door,” according to authorities.
Collier added that the surviving children told officers their mother appeared to be in “distress” before the vehicle left the roadway.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities are still working to determine the exact cause of the crash. The woman’s identity has not yet been publicly released.
“Until we can get confirmation from a relative or through positive ID, we’re not going to speculate who she is,” Collier said. “Our focus right now is making sure the surviving children are safe and reunited with their family.”