Mother of 5 Found Dead Under Bridge amid Freezing Temperatures: ‘She Did Not Deserve to Die This Way’

The body of a Texas mother of five was found beneath a bridge in downtown Houston during a stretch of freezing weather.

Alicia Harnishfeger was discovered Monday, Jan. 26, according to local outlet Click 2 Houston. Her cause of death has not yet been determined.

Overnight temperatures in Houston fell to 24 degrees the night before she was found, according to Weather Underground.

Her 17-year-old daughter, Bianca Barajas, told Click 2 Houston that her mother had struggled with mental health challenges and substance-use issues. Barajas said she had urged her mother to come inside and stay warm, but she declined.

“Some people do have homes, they just refuse the services,” Barajas said.

She also described her mother as “a very sweet, kind, loving person,” adding that with another possible freeze approaching, she hopes others will take extra steps to keep loved ones safe.

“And I just — if there’s another freeze coming up this weekend I would like everyone to know to protect their families whether they’re homeless or not,” she said.

Barajas said the family is now seeking help to cover funeral and burial expenses. In a GoFundMe description, she wrote that her mother was “so sweet and joyful” and “always had an interesting story to tell.”

“She did not deserve to die this way and it was messed up,” she wrote, adding, “Although she had her times and mental illnesses she still is a person who deserved better… We loved her so so so much we are grieving and so hurt from this.”

As of Feb. 1, the fundraiser had brought in $591 toward a $6,000 goal.