Team asks for prayers after 2 kids severely injured in crash

 
“Team Oeltjenbruns” is asking for prayers after two small children were severely injured in a motor vehicle crash in rural Steele County Friday afternoon.
Jillian Dahl Proft identified the victims of the crash through Facebook as Jessica Oeltjenbruns and her two children, ages 3 and 1. She wrote that their vehicle was hit on the passenger side by a truck near their home. 
According to Dahl Proft, the 3-year-old daughter sustained hairline fractures of a rib and arm and has some swelling of the brain. She also has a laceration on her liver. The 1-year-old son has some bruising and a fair amount of brain swelling. As of Saturday, he was not “out of the woods” yet as swelling often peaks at 48 hours after trauma.
“Pray for emotional healing as they care for their little ones,” Dahl Proft said. “Pray for swelling to diminish and no lasting side effects.”
Dahl Proft has established a Gofundme account to help the family with medical expenses. As of Monday morning, nearly $5,000 had been raised for the family. 
“Together we will ease their burden,” Dahl Proft said.
Emergency crews responded to the crash at SE 64thAvenue and SE 38thStreet around 2:11 p.m. Friday. Both roads are gravel and controlled by a yield sign for traffic on SE 64thAvenue.
Sheriff Lon Thiele said it’s unknown at this time which direction the vehicles were traveling. He called in the Minnesota State Patrol to reconstruct the crash scene.
Thiele said a 2011 Ford F250 pickup driven by a 52-year-old Steele County man collided with a 2012 Lincoln SUV driven by Oeltjenbruns with her two children in the back seat. 
Both drivers were transported by ambulance to local hospitals. Oeltjenbruns was treated for minor injuries and released. Her children were airlifted from the scene by Mayo One and taken to St. Mary’s Hospital.
The sheriff said seat belts and child safety seats were used at the time of the crash. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected in either driver, according to Thiele.
Gold Cross Ambulance and Owatonna Fire assisted the sheriff’s office at the scene.