Crash claims lives of vacationing Houston family

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston family is dealing with a sudden and tragic loss after a violent crash while on a road trip.

The Gallow family of southeast Houston was headed to Fiesta Texas in San Antonio on Saturday and never made it.

Monday night, three surviving sisters were in an Austin hospital seriously injured and parent-less. Cynthia Krieger tells Eyewitness News she was at the hospital Sunday when relatives told the oldest sibling the terrible news.

"She just said, out of all the pain, my heart hurts, my heart hurts. Her heart hurts," Krieger said through tears.

According to investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety, it was a violent single-vehicle rollover crash caused by a tire blowout that killed Shakneaqui and Melvin Gallow and their 8-year-old son Melvin, Jr.

Family members say the couple, their four children and four additional children, including two they had guardianship of, were on 1-10 in their SUV heading to San Antonio. It was their last summer trip.

The crash happened near Gonzales just after 9am. Investigators said none of the eight children inside were wearing a seat belt.

"They just went off thinking it would be like any vacation. It turned out to be a family tragedy," Krieger said.

Krieger says her brother and his wife, the children's grandparents, will now step in to take care of the three surviving sisters. She has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for expenses.

Melvin, Jr played in a football league in southeast Houston and attended Garden Villas Elementary. Shakneaqui Gallow worked for a home health company and Melvin Gallow was a good provider, relatives say.

Their young girls are left to struggle with their own serious injuries and a great loss.

"Everyone will miss them."

The conditions of the four other children are unknown.

People are asked to support the Gallow family through a Go Fund Me page.