3 Montgomery Co. deaths among 5 in Houston area attributed to fallen trees during Beryl

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Southeast Texans knew Beryl would be a dangerous storm when it made landfall early Monday, but the human toll is becoming more evident beyond the widespread damage and flooding.

At least six people died in the Houston area due to the storm, including five from fallen trees. Houston Mayor John Whitmire attributed a sixth death involving a civilian police department employee to drowning on the roadways.

Earlier in the day, Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said the first tree-falling fatality happened in the 20900 block of Heather Grove Court in the Atascocita area.

A 911 caller said a tree fell through the roof of their home, and a man was trapped and unresponsive.

In a later update, Pct. 4 confirmed the man died.

In a social media post, Herman said a tree blocked the northbound lanes of Heather Grove Court, and power lines were down nearby at Kings River Drive and Water Point Trail.

The second death happened in the 17400 block of Rustic Canyon Trail in the Ponderosa Forest neighborhood in north Harris County.

Family says 73-year-old Maria Loredo was killed when a tree fell through the home she shared with her son, his wife, and their two children.

Pct. 4 said she was pronounced dead at the home. Loredo's family believes she was killed instantly.

"I'm a God-fearing man," her son, Jose, said. "I believe that maybe it was her time to go."

By the evening, Montgomery County revealed to ABC13 about three deaths from fallen trees. Jason Millsaps, the director of the county's emergency management office, said a man riding a tractor on a public roadway died during the morning while a couple was killed in a wooded area.

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