Mother mourns daughter killed in Atascocita bakery crash hours after college acceptance

ATASCOCITA, Texas - A grieving Atascocita mother is opening up about the devastating loss of her 19-year-old daughter, Zion Branch, who was killed Tuesday afternoon when an elderly driver crashed into the bakery where she worked.

Deadly Atascocita bakery crash

The backstory:

The tragedy occurred just before 3:00 p.m. at the Nothing Bundt Cakes located in Atascocita. 

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, a 70-year-old man attempting to park in front of the bakery accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake. 

The vehicle surged forward, smashing through the glass storefront. The vehicle struck Zion, along with another employee and a customer. 

Zion was tragically pronounced dead at the scene, just an hour before her shift was scheduled to end.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office stated that the driver in his 70s remained on the scene following the crash and showed no signs of intoxication.

The incident remains under active investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to determine if any charges will be filed.

The bakery currently remains temporarily closed, with a statement on the remaining window acknowledging the tragedy. 

‘She Planned Her Life in Advance’

What they're saying:

Zion's mother, Karamell Branch, spoke with FOX 26 from inside her daughter’s bedroom, surrounded by the teenager's goals, journals, and scholarship letters.

Branch shared that the morning of the crash had actually begun with a major milestone. At 10:00 a.m.—just five hours before the accident—Zion received an acceptance letter from the University of Houston.

"My baby planned her life, like, literally," Branch said, holding back tears. "She has journals and agenda books showing which route she wanted to go. My baby got her goals written out up there. We were literally working on her driver's license. She got scholarships... She’s very meticulous. She has her schedule and stuff written out already for a week in advance."

Branch remembered Zion as an independent and deeply compassionate young woman. She had recently been writing down Spanish phrases in her notebook so she could better communicate with and help customers at the bakery who didn't speak English.

Now, instead of celebrating a college acceptance, the family is faced with the agonizing task of planning a funeral.

"I don't want to have to bury my baby, but I'm gonna have to, and just dignify her the right way," Branch said. "This is all I got left is her room, her clothes... My baby's hair bonnet—it smells like her."

What you can do:

A GoFundMe campaign has been established by Zion's family to help cover funeral expenses and honor her legacy.

Click here

Crash pattern raises safety concerns

Big picture view:

As a memorial of flowers and tributes continues to grow outside the storefront, community members are raising serious safety concerns about the shopping center.

Residents point out that this is not the first time a vehicle has plowed into a business in this exact strip. In February, the Atascocita Fire Department responded to a nearly identical incident just a few doors down, where another elderly driver crashed into an eyewear store.

While seven people were evaluated by medics during the February crash, no one was killed. 

What's next:

Locals say Zion’s death was a preventable tragedy and are calling on property owners or city officials to install safety barriers.

"There's been accidents in the neighborhoods as well. I'm just hoping that the city recognizes this and fixes this," one resident told FOX 26. "It's a small fix. Put some cement [bollards] in front of these glass businesses to protect these employees and customers."

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