HOUSTON – The family of legendary Tejano songstress Selena Quintanilla is mourning the death of six relatives swept away by flood waters during Harvey.
Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla took to Facebook last week to express his devastation to the news his family members died in the storm that has, as of Tuesday, claimed at least 60 lives.
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"The family that drowned in Houston, Texas were related to me," Quintanilla said in a Facebook post. "Manuel Saldivar and his wife Velia and four of their grandkids left their flooded house to go somewhere where there was safety (sic). When they cross a bridge a wave of water swept the van and push them in to the bayou the driver was saved but Manuel and his wife and 4 grandkids drowned (sic)."
Quintanilla is referring to Manuel Saldivar, 84, his spouse Belia, 81, and great-grandchildren Devy Saldivar, 16, Dominique Saldivar, 14, Xavier Saldivar, 8 and Daisy Saldivar, 6.
The family died when they were swept away by flood waters while trying to get to a relative's home on higher ground. Manuel's son, Sammy Saldivar, was the only person to survive the attempt to seek higher ground during the flooding. Sammy was behind the wheel.
Sammy's brother Ric told CNN's Eric Burnett Sammy could hear the kids screaming and crying to get out of the van.
Sammy was able to get out of their van and held onto a tree branch for his life.
