North Carolina Mother, Fiancé, and Her Two Young Sons Die While Fleeing Hurricane

He turned to head down the hallway toward his bedroom, where his two youngest children were sleeping. Before he could reach them, the house suddenly exploded.

The enormous oak tree fell onto the bed where Derrick and Harmony were sleeping. Herbert cried out, “My babies,” as the impact ignited an electrical fire. Meanwhile, Crystal and Cassidy dashed to a neighbor’s house for safety.

Cassidy was tearful but maintained her composure as she called 911. Giving their home’s address, she said, “A tree fell on top of our house. My 4-year-old brother and my 7-year-old sister are in it. The house is on fire.”

The storm continued to howl as rescuers arrived at the Taylor residence on South Hospital Road. They managed to extinguish the flames, but the massive oak tree obstructed access to Derrick and Harmony, leaving them trapped.

Crystal sobbed, “I can’t get to my babies.” Fearful that calling their names might provoke them to cry out while she was helpless to save them, she struggled to stay calm. Hours dragged on, and it took more than five hours for the crew to saw through the tree and reach the children.

As time passed with no sign of her kids, Crystal, a pre-K teacher at Ridge Road Primary, reassured herself, “My babies are going to come out. They’ll be alright.”