A 22-month-old toddler has died after the SUV he was travelling in was crushed by a cement truck that lost control in east Harris County, Texas.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales said the crash took place on Houston Parkway on Friday.
Four people were in the car, including the toddler’s twin sibling, a 22-year-old woman and the 54-year-old car driver. The other three managed to escape, the sheriff’s spokesperson said, according to NBC News.
The toddler who was pronounced dead at the scene was identified as Nicolas Resendiz. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support the family.
“Tragic incident. Our units responded to a major crash at the intersection of WoodForest & E Sam Houston Pkwy [Parkway]. It appears a cement truck traveling on the main lanes lost control, went over the overpass and landed on top of a vehicle with four occupants,” the sheriff said.
Nicolas and his twin Melanie were reportedly due to have a joint baptism this Saturday, according to KHOU television station.
Nicolas’ mother Jennifer said she will tell her daughter that her brother loved her “and that he will always be with us”.
“I guess we’re all just sad that he got taken away so early and that his sister won’t be able to see him no more or have a play buddy,” the twins’ aunt Esmerelda Resendiz said.
“You know, it’s been three days...four days since then,” said Uncle Daniel Resendiz on Tuesday. “It still feels like I’m going to wake up from this bad dream.”
A witness to the accident, Raymond Romo, said that he saw the cement truck swerve to avoid another car before crashing through the overpass, reported KPRC of Houston.
He added that the truck was dangling from the overpass as cars below attempted to move out of the way.
Mr Romo, who works nearby, said the truck then fell forward and landed on the Ford Expedition that Nicolas and Melanie were in.
“We saw it, when we were in the middle of the parking lot, land on the vehicle,” he was quoted as saying. “Instantly, me and my friend Joe, we went into action.”
He told KPRC that he pulled the driver’s daughter out of the car and then tried to remove the 22-month-old twins seated in the back.
He was able to grab one car seat but could not grab the other.
Investigators said the cement truck driver did not appear to be intoxicated and declined transport to a hospital.
