3 brothers die in North Texas frozen pond; mother says she 'couldn't save them'

FANNIN COUNTY, Texas - Three young brothers died after falling into an icy pond in Fannin County during the winter storm, according to the Bonham Fire Department. This is the second fatal accident involving students in North Texas this week.

Bonham brothers die in frozen pond

What we know:

According to public officials, three elementary students died on Monday after falling into a freezing pond in Bonham, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas. 

An 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy were pulled from the water by a neighbor and first responders. 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.

While officials have not released the names of the boys, relatives told FOX 4 they were 6-year-old Howard, 8-year-old Kaleb and 9-year-old EJ.

Dig deeper:

The boys' mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, talked to FOX 4 about her desperate attempt to save her sons. 

She said her youngest son, Howard, went underwater first, and his older brothers jumped in to help him.

"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 mother, who had followed her sons in, 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.

Through her grief, Hangaman shared memories of her sons' distinct personalities.

"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."

What they're saying:

The superintendent of Bonham ISD sent a letter to parents Monday expressing the district’s heartbreak. The letter stated the district is "devastated by this unimaginable loss" and is working to provide support for the family.

John Ramsey, Bonham ISD's athletic director and head football coach, also released a statement. He is the coach who helped the family.

"I was nearby helping a neighbor when I heard someone calling for help and went to assist. Any person in that situation would have done the same thing. I was simply close enough to help in a moment of crisis, doing what I hope anyone would do for someone in need," he said.

Ramsey declined an interview, saying all focus should be on supporting the family as they suffer this unimaginable loss.

What you can do:

A GoFundMe account has been set up to support the family with memorial costs.

Frisco community mourns loss of high school student

Local perspective:

The tragedy in Bonham follows a fatal sledding accident in Frisco on Sunday. The community is mourning the loss of 16-year-old Elizabeth Angle, a sophomore and soccer player at Wakeland High School.

Angle 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. Angle died at the scene. The second girl remains on life support.

Friends and family have created a memorial at the scene of the crash.

"Life is so precious. Just like that, everything can just be over," said Nathaniel Lisotta, a freshman at Wakeland.

The school is preparing to honor Angle during second period when classes resume. Frisco police are currently investigating the crash.