3 young brothers die after going into icy pond in Bonham, Texas, during storm

Three young brothers died during a Texas winter storm after plunging 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, found themselves struggling in a frozen pond in Bonham, a town about 60 miles northeast of Dallas, sparking a desperate effort by their mother and a neighbor to save them, FOX 4 reported.

Relatives told FOX 4 the victims were brothers ages 6, 8 and 9.

The tragedy occurred when the youngest child, Howard, went underwater first and his older brothers followed to help, the boys’ mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, told FOX 4.

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Kaleb, left, Howard and EJ are pictured in photos provided by the family. All three brothers died in Fannin County, Texas. (Courtesy of Family/FOX 4)

“I started running towards the pond and jumped in. I tried to save them while 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 evicted by a neighbor.

“It was one of me and three of them, and they all needed me at the same 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 hospital but did not survive.

Their 6-year-old brother never resurfaced. His body was found after a thorough search of the pond.

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Drivers navigate icy roads on a main road Monday in Carrollton, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutiérrez)

As she mourned the loss of her three sons, Hangaman shared her memories of their distinct personalities and the moments that defined them.

“My oldest, EJ, was only interested in football and his haircut. He wanted to play sports,” she said. “Kaleb’s personality was out of this world; he was the nicest guy I’d ever met. And Howard, he was just stupid. He was the life of the party. He was the first one 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 deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform our community of the tragic deaths of three elementary school students. We are devastated by this unimaginable loss, and our hearts go out to the family, friends and all who knew and loved these children,” Hamlin wrote, according to FOX 4, adding that the district was working to provide continued support to the family, students and staff.

The tragedy marked the second fatal incident involving North Texas students during the winter storm.

Elizabeth Angle, a 16-year-old Wakeland High School student from Frisco, was killed in a sledding accident on Sunday, authorities said.

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Snow-covered streets and buildings are visible during Monday’s winter storm in Dallas. (Marc Félix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Angle, a sophomore and football 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 instantly.

The second girl remained on life support.

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Police said the investigation remains active. The ministry warned citizens that snow and ice can create extremely slippery surfaces and lead to serious or fatal accidents.

A winter storm brought heavy snow and crippling ice to large swaths of the country, including Texas, over the weekend. Most areas of North Texas were covered in ice, sleet and snow, creating dangerous conditions.

Stephen Sorace of Fox News contributed to this report.