Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he personally informed the Saldivar family about the grim discovery. Shortly after the van was submerged, police rescued a lone survivor — Sammy Saldivar, who had escaped from the vehicle and clung to a branch. Authorities retrieved the vehicle after being notified by Saldivar family members who returned to the scene after waters had receded. All were gone, Ric Saldivar told The Washington Post the day before police found the van. For several years, Ric Saldivar said, his parents had been losing their memories to dementia.

Source: Washington Post August 30, 2017 21:00 UTC