Texas mother rescues 2 children, dies trying to save 1-year-old from house fire

A family is grieving after a mother died trying to save her 1-year-old son from a house fire on Sunday, officials in southeast Texas reported.

According to the Houston Fire Department, the fire took place during the early morning hours at a house in a residential neighborhood just over 8 miles north of downtown.

Two people died in the blaze, the agency confirmed on X.

Houston fire Chief Samuel Peña posted on social media the mother died as she reentered the home in attempt to rescue her child "from the flames."

No other injuries were reported, firefighters reported.

The cause and origin of the fire were not immediatly known on Monday.

Fire officials could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY Monday morning.

Mom rescued 2 children, went back in for her baby

Officials have not released the name of the mother and her son, but according to media reports including WHOU-TV and a fundraiser set up by loved ones, the fatality victims were identified as 31-year-old Giovanna Cabrera and her 1-year-old son, Gabriel Cabrera.

On Sunday, Peña retweeted a link to a fundraising page in which family called the mother "a wonderful person."

Prior to her reentering the home, Cabrera's sister told KRPC-TV she rescued two of her other children from the fire.

“She got the two kids, the 9-year-old and the 6-year-old and then she was going back through for the baby,” Giselle Bueno, told the outlet. “It’s still surreal....I feel like she’s just somewhere else. Like I’m going to see her later on."

Selina Mendez, who created the fundraiser, said donations from it will help with funeral expenses for the mother and her son. Mendez wrote any remaining donations will go to Cabrera's surviving children and her parents "since they lost everything in the fire."

As of Monday morning the fundraiser had received more than $18,000 in donations.

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'Extend a prayer'

In a Facebook post, Houston Mayor John Whitmire wrote the mother rescued two of her children from the fire but died trying to save the baby boy.

"Please extend a prayer today for a local family," the mayor wrote.

"We are working to make sure this family has the support they need in their time of grief. I thank our first responders for their work assisting with the investigation."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.