Relatives said Va’Necia Williams and her daughters brought energy, humor and a strong sense of connection to their close family.
FORNEY, Texas — Relatives are mourning a mother and her two daughters who died when an 18-wheeler struck their disabled car on a Kaufman County bridge, leaving a close family to grieve three generations of shared milestones.
Family members identified the victims as 38-year-old Va’Necia Williams, 14-year-old Sa’Niah Davis and 9-year-old A’veonia Davis. They died late Sunday, July 26, after their car was rear-ended on eastbound U.S. Highway 80 near Windmill Farms Boulevard. The family’s dog, Queenie, also died.
Williams and her daughters had moved to Forney a few months before the crash, according to her mother, VaNessa Williams. Their relatives said they were a central part of a large, tightly connected family and were closely tied to its holidays, birthdays and everyday gatherings.
Celissa Williams, a cousin, described Va’Necia Williams as funny and generous. She said Williams was a family leader who was known for giving the largest Christmas gifts. The family remembered Sa’Niah as a gamer who was beginning to play basketball and A’veonia as an outgoing child who liked dancing and making TikTok videos.
“It hurts, though, it hurts,” Celissa Williams told CBS News Texas. “It’s hard trying to find strength when dealing with this, not only one but three.”
The relatives said the three enjoyed watching movies and going out for food at night. Celissa Williams said they may have been getting something to eat before the crash, though investigators have not publicly confirmed where they were going.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said Williams’ 2013 Hyundai became disabled and stopped in the right eastbound lane of U.S. 80 at about 11:30 p.m. An 18-wheeler traveling in the same direction struck the rear of the car, pushing it over a concrete bridge railing, according to the agency’s preliminary investigation.
Williams and her daughters were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not injured, local news outlets reported. The crash closed the eastbound lanes for several hours while emergency crews worked at the bridge.
DPS has not determined why the truck driver was unable to avoid the Hyundai. Investigators were examining the commercial vehicle’s tires, brakes and driving records. Officials said it was too early to say whether speed, alcohol or a medical emergency played a role.
VaNessa Williams said her faith was helping her face the deaths of her daughter and granddaughters. “We know that God has her,” she told FOX 4. “We know that she’s taken well care of.”
Celissa Williams said future family celebrations would carry the absence of the mother and children. “It’s not going to be the same,” she said. “No holidays, no birthdays. It’s definitely not going to be the same without them.”
Relatives established an online fundraiser for funeral and related expenses. State troopers continued to investigate the crash Tuesday, and no final findings had been released.
Author note: Last updated July 28, 2026.