Texas Rangers are investigating the death of three young sisters after their bodies were found in a private pond, according to the Texarkana Gazette.
A family friend was babysitting Temari Oliver, 5; Amiyah Hughes, 8; and Zi’Ariel Oliver, 9, when they were reported missing around 11 p.m. Friday.
According to Cass County Sheriff Larry Rowe, the three girls were last seen at a house on State Highway 77 on the outskirts of Atlanta before they left the residence.
The children’s mother, Bre Oliver (Shommaonique Oliver), posted the heartbreaking news on her Facebook page.
“My heart it hurt so bad because my babies are gone to be with the lord & I know everyone have a role on earth but their role’s was to short. They had a long life ahead of them, and now they will never get to grow up into the young ladies I know they was going to be,” she wrote. “just know mama love you no matter what, say hi to grannies for me. its not goodbye its see you later my sweet angles.”
A dive team located their bodies in the pond Saturday. Police found a pair of shoes and clothing near the watery orifice.
“We located items of clothing around a pond and in a pond,” Texas Game Warden Shawn Hervey said to KSLA. “So, we centered the search around that small body of water, and with the use of divers we were able to recover three victims at approximately 2 a.m.”
“We have no idea what the girls were doing there,” Cass County Sheriff Larry Rowe explained to the Texarkana Gazette. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of their deaths, and their bodies have been sent to the medical examiner for autopsies.
“Nobody has been accused of anything,” Rowe added.
BRE OLIVER posted on another Facebook account and shared pictures with the caption, “Through this whole process I have my family helping me to get through this hard time with me and the loss of my sweet babies Girl’s it’s so unreal. But I know I have to be strong for the sake of my other 3 Babies’s because they need me more then ever.!!!”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to pay the girls’ funeral costs.