CARMEL, Ind. -- Relatives of a Hamilton County man whose wife and three daughters died after their van slid into a Carmel-area pond flew from Houston this week to comfort him.
Hadi Abbas, grieving with his relatives at his Carmel-area house, said Monday he plans to move because the home reminded him too much of his daughters and wife. One of the visiting relatives, Mohammed Hosain, said the extended family is stunned by the deaths.
Slideshow: Woman, 3 Daughters Dead After Van Enters Pond
"It's very, very tragic for us," Hosain told
6News' Jennifer Carmack. "In one sweep, the entire family is just gone."
Hadi Abbas was on a business trip Saturday night when a van driven by his wife and carrying his three daughters -- ages 8, 14 and 18 -- entered a retention pond at 141st Street and Towne Road -- less than a mile from their home.
The 47-year-old woman, Batul Abbas, called 911, but the van was submerged when rescuers arrived six minutes later. Rescuers brought Batul Abbas and the daughters out of the van, but all four died at hospitals later. A coroner's report listed Batul Abbas' cause of death as "hypothermia/drowning."
One of the daughters also called 911, and one of the four sent a text message to Hadi Abbas' phone saying they loved him, Hosain said.
Freezing rain was falling in much of central Indiana when the van entered the pond. Police said they believe icy conditions were a factor in the incident.
Batul Abbas and her daughters were on their way home from Indianapolis, where they had been comforting a family friend who had just lost a brother, another family friend has said.
One of the daughters, 18-year-old Shazreh Abbas, was a freshman at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Another, Shaail Abbas, 14, was a freshman at Carmel High School.
The third, Azmeh Abbas, 8, was a third-grader at College Wood Elementary School.
Counselors were at the high school and the elementary school Monday to help students and staff cope with the deaths.
"This was a kind and giving family, and that transcended right down to the youngest member," said Jon Teuscher, principal of College Wood Elementary School.
Batul Abbas and her husband immigrated to the United States from Pakistan in 1995 and lived in Houston before moving to the Indianapolis area six years ago, family friend Farwa Abid said.
Funeral services are planned for Wednesday in Houston.
State Police Offer Survival TipsState police divers on Monday offered tips on how to survive a vehicle's entry into water.
When a vehicle goes into water, the vehicle's occupants should roll down their windows immediately, undo their seat belts and climb out a window to get to the vehicle's roof, state police said.
People should either stay on the vehicle's top until help arrives or go to shore if it is close enough, police said. Police said most modern vehicles float three to 10 minutes before sinking.
Police said any idea that a vehicle's doors will easily open once submerged is a myth. People must escape through the windows, police said.
Copyright 2008 by TheIndyChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
