A Texas community is mourning the loss of three Houston teens who died in a weekend crash that authorities say was caused by distracted driving due to the use of a cellphone, KHOU reports.
"I keep waiting for the door to open, for them to come back," Jade and Brianna Robinson's mom, Stacey Robinson, told KHOU 11 News on Monday. "It's not fair, it's not fair."
Two teens in the backseat died at the scene. The girls were identified as Brianna Robinson, 19, and Jade Robinson, 17, who are said to have been sisters and their mom's only children. Both girls were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident, authorities noted.
The driver, who was also wearing her seat belt and was not identified in the report, was taken to the hospital in stable condition. However, the fourth victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died overnight Sunday. That victim was identified as 18-year-old Brittanie Tashay Johnson. The driver of the 18-wheeler was unharmed in the accident.
Johnson's friends and family held a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims Monday night, releasing balloons in Johnson's honor.
"I couldn't even believe it," her mom, Traci Blount, told the news station. "I just kept being in denial, thinking she's going to call, she's going to call, but it was real."
Christopher Williams, whom KHOU identified as Johnson's best friend, was reportedly just a few cars behind the girls when the crash occurred.
"All you see and hear is that boom," Williams said. "And you're like, 'Who is that?' I saw them pulling the bodies out, and I thought, 'It can't be them.' It's just unreal. Then I couldn't drive anymore because I knew it was them."
Read more at KHOU.