Deputies said the chase began after a license plate reader flagged the vehicle the teens were in as stolen. Investigators said masks, screwdrivers, and hammers were recovered from the scene.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said the incident is being treated as an in-custody death, as the crash occurred during a police pursuit.

Three are dead after a stolen SUV packed with teenagers crashed just seconds into a high-speed police pursuit, Texas officials say. Deputies “encountered” a stolen vehicle after midnight Jan. 2, kicking off a chase in the Houston suburb of Spring,