A mother and toddler from the greater Houston area lost their lives after the mother experienced a medical emergency, resulting in her SUV being submerged in a river with her children inside.
Reports from local outlets KHOU and KRIV indicate that a Good Samaritan witnessed the incident and played a crucial role in rescuing two children involved.
According to Major Cedrick Collier of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the man in Harris County observed a 2020 Kia Telluriode submerged in a branch of the San Jacinto River after 4:40 p.m. on April 25.
The witness saw two children on top of the SUV and immediately jumped into the water to save them.
Authorities later discovered that the mother, 39-year-old Crystal Hall Njepu, and her 1-year-old daughter, Annah, were still inside the vehicle. Divers retrieved their bodies from the water, which was approximately six to seven feet deep, and pronounced them dead at the scene.
Collier mentioned that the 1-year-old was found restrained in a car seat near the rear passenger door of the submerged vehicle.
It was revealed that Crystal Hall Njepu and the children were traveling westbound on Market Street when the car drifted off the road and into the river. Authorities confirmed that the mother intentionally pulled off the roadway.
An investigation suggested that Hall Njepu likely suffered a medical emergency, leading to the vehicle veering off the road and into the water.
The man who rescued the children shared that he attempted to open the car's doors but was unsuccessful. He managed to hear the children yelling for help and with the assistance of a bystander, broke a rear window to free the children.
The 5-year-old and 7-year-old children were in the front and back left passenger seats of the SUV. The older child was able to swim to some extent.
The children are now in good condition and under the care of family members. The Harris County Sheriff's Office's Vehicular Crimes Division is conducting an investigation into the incident.
A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to support memorial services and aid Njepu's remaining children, raising over $12,000 of the $15,000 goal as of April 29.
Hall Njepu's older brother expressed the family's devastation at losing his sister and niece, remembering Annah as a smart and happy baby. He described his sister as a college graduate with exceptional knowledge of business and finance.
The family is trying to make sense of the tragedy while relying on their faith for strength. They also expressed gratitude towards the man who rescued the children from the submerged vehicle.
"There are no words to express how grateful we are that he responded to the call of God ... and helped to save our other two babies. We love him and hope to meet him soon," the family stated.
Saleen Martin, a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team, hails from Norfolk, Virginia. She can be reached via email at sdmartin@usatoday.com.