CHANNELVIEW, Texas – A woman and her infant died in what investigators have ruled a murder-suicide after she intentionally drove into the San Jacinto River with her three children in Channelview, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened on April 25 around 4:45 p.m. at 17350 Market Street. Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle with passengers inside enter the water and submerge.
Authorities said a Good Samaritan dove into the water and rescued two children, ages 5 and 7, who were seen struggling on top of the vehicle before it became fully submerged. Both children were taken to a hospital and survived.
Deputies said the 39-year-old woman and her 1-year-old child were pulled from the vehicle but were pronounced dead.
At the time, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators were working to determine what caused the vehicle to enter the water.
Maj. Cedric Collier noted the vehicle had been seen on surveillance video starting and stopping before entering the river, and the surviving children told deputies their mother had been in distress.
Deputies said a suicide note was later recovered from the submerged vehicle.