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“Witnesses reported the sled struck a curb and collided with a tree. This incident remains under active investigation, with support from the Denton County District Attorney’s Office,” the post said.
The crash reportedly drew an immediate emergency response, with multiple police vehicles and caution tape quickly filling the residential area. Neighbors who witnessed the aftermath said the scene was chaotic and deeply disturbing.
“It’s kind of shocking. I don’t know what they told their parents what they were doing but my neighbor who lives next door says he saw a Jeep pulling some kids on a sled and a few minutes later we saw six or four cop cars here, a bunch of caution tape and something bad had happened,” neighbor Melissa Trevino said, according to KNSD-TV.
As investigators work to determine whether criminal charges will be filed, the focus for many has shifted to mourning two young lives that were just beginning.
Elizabeth Angle was a sophomore at Wakeland High School and an active soccer player, according to her mother, Megan Angle, who shared a heartbreaking tribute on social media.
“She was a bright light, a fun spirit, a brave soul. We loved her so much. She just got a car and a license and had her whole life ahead of her,” Angle wrote.
“It was all taken away so abruptly in a sledding accident yesterday. Life is fleeting and precious. I take comfort that she had people helping her til the end,” Angle wrote.
Friends described Elizabeth as energetic and optimistic, a teenager excited about newfound independence and future plans that will now never be realized.
Grace Brito’s family also shared an emotional message, expressing disbelief and anguish over the loss of their daughter. Her mother, Tracy Brito, detailed the pain left behind in a post referenced by CBS.
“We are a family of four — myself, my husband, Grace, and Emma,” she wrote, saying Emma was a freshman at LSU. “Our family is heartbroken and devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Gracie.”
Tracy Brito described Grace as compassionate, joyful, and deeply caring toward others.
She called her daughter “a kind and generous soul, full of love, affection, and warmth,” a young woman with “gentle strength.”
In the midst of grief, Brito noted that her daughter was an organ donor, a decision that will allow Grace’s life to help others even after her passing.
“She valued teamwork, friendship, and encouragement, and she took pride in lifting others up,” her mother said. “She was creative, strong-minded, and a VERY bubbly girl.”
“We will miss her till the day we die,” Tracy Brito wrote. “She is our guardian angel now.”
The tragedy has reignited concerns about risky behavior during rare weather events, especially in regions where drivers and teenagers lack experience navigating winter conditions. As the investigation continues, parents across the country are being reminded that even familiar neighborhoods can become dangerous under the wrong circumstances.
For two Texas families, a moment meant for fun has become a lifelong nightmare, one that no parent should ever have to endure.
