Woman sues ex-hubby over drowning death

AUSTIN, Texas, July 12 (UPI) -- A Texas woman is suing her ex-husband for up to $2 million, claiming his negligence led to the drowning death of their 6-year-old daughter.

Yasmine Coronado filed the lawsuit against Oscar Segura this month in Blanco County in connection with the May 3 death of Vivian Segura and the injury of her 7-year-old sister, Veronica, the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman reported Thursday.

The girls, who lived with their mother, had been in their father's care and riding in his pickup when the truck was swept into the flooding Blanco River and downstream about 200 yards.

Oscar and Veronica survived the ordeal but Vivian was carried farther along. She was pulled from the river and died four days later in the hospital.

In her lawsuit, Coronado alleged the girls' father "willfully ignored traffic signs and attempted to navigate the engorged and raging river instead of taking an alternate route."

An investigator for the Blanco County sheriff's office said there was no barricade blocking Oscar Segura from entering the low-water crossing.

The investigator also said Segura told them it was dark when he drove into the water.

Segura did not return a phone message left by the American-Statesman at his home Wednesday.