Tragic Ice Pond Accident Claims Lives of Three Young Brothers in Texas

Tue Feb 03 2026 01:39:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The community mourns the loss of three brothers who tragically drowned after falling through the ice of a frozen pond in Bonham, Texas. Their mother recalls the terrifying moments as she attempted to save her children.

In a heartbreaking incident in Bonham, Texas, three young brothers drowned after falling through ice on a pond while playing. Their mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, expressed her sorrow and urged families to cherish their loved ones amidst the tragedy.

Three young brothers have died in Bonham, north Texas, after falling through ice on a private pond on Monday.

Cheyenne Hangaman, the boys' mother, said she tried to rescue them by lifting them out of the water and placing them on the ice, but it kept breaking.

There was three of them and only one of me... that's why I couldn't save them, she told CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

She described her sons, aged six, eight and nine, as full of personality and urged families to make sure that you hold your kids tight, always tell them that you love them.

Hangaman first learned of the accident when her daughter ran over to her, shouting that the boys had fallen in. The children had been out playing near the pond, about 100ft (30m) away from the house where the family was staying.

The youngest fell through first after trying to ice skate on the thin layer of ice over the water, and the two older boys jumped in after him. When I seen them, they were struggling, and I know their bodies were already in shock, she explained.

In her desperate attempt to save her children, she began to struggle herself before being rescued by a neighbor who heard her cries for help. Authorities later confirmed that the two older boys were pulled out first by emergency workers and a neighbor before the six-year-old was recovered after a search of the pond.

While the school the boys attended expressed their devastation at the loss, Hangaman shared special memories of her sons: EJ dreamed of being a football star, Kaleb loved dancing and singing, and Howard enjoyed making others laugh.

This tragic incident coincided with a deadly winter storm impacting Texas and surrounding areas, heightening the importance of awareness surrounding the dangers of winter activities.