>> why would she drive her car down. >> reporter: angela gillian came to grieve at the place where her niece lashaunda armstrong died with three of her children. >> big tragedy, big loss. >> reporter: police say she loaded her four children, 10, 5, 2 and 11 months into a minivan and drove it a few blocks and down a boat ramp into the hudson river. as the car hit the frigid water, the oldest child managed to open one of the power windows. he climbed out of the sinking vehicle and swam to shore where passerby came to his aid. the 10-year-old told a horrifying story. >> before she hit the water, she went into the back seat and held the kids all at once and said, if we're going to die, we're going to die together. >> reporter: she brought him to a nearby firehouse and he told her the last thing he heard his mother say was it was all a mistake. >> the fear in his face was something i'll never forget the