Authorities say the boys, ages 6, 8 and 9, fell through ice during this week’s deep freeze near Bonham.
BONHAM, TX— A North Texas mother is grieving the deaths of her three young sons after they fell through ice on a private pond across the street from a home where the family was staying Monday afternoon, as a severe cold snap gripped the region.
Officials in Fannin County said the brothers were pulled from the water and taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The Texas Game Wardens and local first responders are reviewing the sequence of events and the frigid conditions that hindered rescue efforts. The boys were students in Bonham Independent School District, which has made counselors available. The case comes amid deadly winter weather across Texas and neighboring states, focusing new attention on how quickly thin ice can fail and how cold water can immobilize even strong swimmers.
According to authorities and family accounts, the youngest boy went onto the ice first around midafternoon Monday, Jan. 26. When he dropped through, his two brothers rushed to help and also fell in. Their mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, said she sprinted to the pond and climbed in after them, but each time she tried to pull a child up, the ice shattered and the water’s shock seized her arms. “They were just screaming,” Hangaman said in interviews, describing how a neighbor and a high school football coach dragged her out as first responders arrived. Medics and deputies continued CPR on the older two boys while game wardens searched for the youngest in the darkening cold. Hangaman later said she kept calling their names and praying as crews worked on the bank.
Game wardens reported recovering the six-year-old after an extended search in the pond. The eight- and nine-year-olds were pulled out earlier by rescuers and neighbors and rushed for care but could not be revived. Bonham ISD Superintendent Lance Hamlin notified families that three elementary students from one family had died and said counseling teams were on campuses when school reopened. Officials did not immediately release the time of day the emergency call came in, but temperatures in the area were in the teens with a biting wind. Names of additional civilians who helped, including the coach who reached the mother, were not released as of Tuesday. Investigators have not announced how thick the ice was or how far from shore the boys fell in.
Bonham, a city of about 10,600 northeast of Dallas, rarely sees ponds freeze for long. This week’s cold followed days of subfreezing highs and single-digit wind chills across North Texas. Similar incidents have been recorded after other Arctic outbreaks when stock ponds ice over without forming load-bearing layers. Local officials said the family had been staying nearby and that the pond sits on private property near a lightly traveled road. The tragedy unfolded as emergency crews across the region handled weather-related crashes, power outages and hypothermia calls. In recent winters, state and local agencies have emphasized the dangers of cold water shock, which can numb muscles within minutes and make self-rescue difficult even in shallow water.
Authorities said the Texas Game Wardens are leading the incident review with the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office. Autopsies are customary in multi-victim drownings and could clarify precise causes of death and timelines; officials had not released those findings by late Tuesday. Bonham ISD said counselors would remain available for students and staff this week. No criminal allegations have been announced. If investigators identify equipment or response gaps, the agencies could issue an after-action report in the coming days. Funeral arrangements for the three brothers had not been made public as of Wednesday morning.
Neighbors described a frantic, wind-whipped scene. A resident who heard screams ran to the pond’s edge and tried to crawl onto the ice before retreating to safer footing and extending an arm to reach the mother. A coach from the local high school, returning from a weather-affected campus day, joined in and helped pull her to the bank. “I knew they were already gone,” Hangaman said later, explaining that the cold had left her unable to grip and the boys submerged beyond arm’s reach. Community members left flowers and stuffed animals near the property fence Tuesday night, and pastors visited the family’s home to pray with relatives.
As of early Wednesday, officials said the investigation remained open and counseling would continue on campuses through the week. Local leaders said they expect to share any additional findings after autopsy results and agency reports are complete.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.