Investigators say the girls were found in a backyard pool on Creek Edge Court.
KATY, TX — Two toddler sisters, ages 2 and 3, died after they were found unresponsive in a backyard swimming pool at a Katy-area home late Wednesday morning, authorities said. The girls were taken by helicopter to a hospital but were pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts.
The deaths stunned neighbors in a quiet subdivision outside Houston and prompted an investigation by sheriff’s office homicide and crime scene units, a step officials said is standard in child deaths while detectives work to confirm what happened. Authorities said the girls lived in the home with their mother and grandparents. Investigators were still reviewing the timeline, how the children got outside, and what safety barriers were in place.
Deputies and emergency crews were called to a home in the 21000 block of Creek Edge Court at about 11:30 a.m. after a frantic 911 call reporting two children in distress, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and area emergency responders. When first responders arrived, paramedics were already performing CPR and other lifesaving measures. A LifeFlight helicopter was requested as the girls’ conditions were described as critical. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez later said both children died at the hospital, calling the incident “a devastating loss for the family and our community.”
Investigators said preliminary information points to a heartbreaking sequence of events during a routine morning at the home. Authorities said the children’s grandmother had been out running errands and returned to the house to find the two girls in the backyard pool. The grandmother shouted for help and attempted to pull the children from the water, officials said. The girls’ mother and grandfather, who investigators said were inside the home asleep, rushed outside after hearing the screams. Neighbors also responded, and more than one person called 911 as the commotion spread through the street, authorities said.
Officials said the home is in the Katy area of western Harris County, near major roads that include Mason Road, Morton Road and the Grand Parkway. Local reports identified the neighborhood as the Lakes of Bridgewater community. Authorities have not released the children’s names, and it was not clear Thursday whether the medical examiner had completed autopsies or issued an official cause and manner of death. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remained active, and detectives were interviewing family members and witnesses to confirm how long the children were in the water and the exact circumstances of the incident.
In early accounts shared by investigators, deputies said they believed the girls got outside through a patio door that opened into the backyard. A representative with the sheriff’s office said barriers such as pool fencing and door protections are commonly recommended but can vary by home and jurisdiction, and investigators were still working to determine what was present at the residence. Authorities did not say whether there were signs of criminal wrongdoing. Instead, they described the case as a fast-moving emergency that turned tragic, with first responders arriving to a scene where family members and neighbors were already trying to help.
Drownings among toddlers are a persistent concern nationwide, and health officials say children ages 1 to 4 face the highest risk. Federal health data show drowning is the leading cause of death for children in that age group in the United States, and many incidents involve swimming pools. In Texas, child safety officials regularly track child drownings and note that the youngest children are especially vulnerable in home settings, where brief gaps in supervision can coincide with easy access to water. Law enforcement officials in the Houston area have responded to multiple child drownings in recent years, often in private backyard pools during everyday household routines.
At the Katy-area home, emergency crews from local emergency services districts responded alongside sheriff’s deputies. Authorities said medics continued resuscitation efforts as the girls were prepared for air transport. The helicopter flights underscored the urgency of the situation, but officials later confirmed that hospital teams were unable to save the children. In statements released after the deaths were confirmed, officials offered condolences and acknowledged the toll such calls take on families, neighbors and first responders. Gonzalez, the sheriff, said the case was painful for the community and urged compassion for everyone involved as investigators completed their work.
The investigation is expected to include a detailed review of the home’s layout, the pool area, and the timeline leading up to the 911 calls. Sheriff’s office homicide detectives and crime scene investigators were assigned to the case to document the scene and gather evidence, authorities said. It was not immediately known whether any formal findings would be released, or when the medical examiner’s office might issue final determinations. Officials said they would provide additional information as it becomes available, but emphasized that the priority was completing a careful, fact-based review of what happened.
Author note: Last updated February 12, 2026.