Crisis team, prayer vigil at Northwood-Kensett

Published 1:02 pm Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A crisis team will be in place until 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Northwood-Kensett Elementary School library for students and families affected by the crash Tuesday in Worth County in which two young girls died.

“All of us in the Northwood-Kensett School community are deeply saddened by this tragedy and our deepest sympathies go out to the families,” said Northwood-Kensett Community School District Superintendent Tom Nugent. “It’s been a hard time.”

Cassidy Stehn, 9, of Northwood, and Hana Riedinger, 12, of Kensett, Iowa, died in the crash, and four other girls ages 10 or 11 were also injured. One girl, Destiny Bruce, 10, of Northwood, remains in critical condition at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.

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The incident took place Tuesday morning after the driver of the minivan they were riding in reportedly ran a stop sign, and the van was broadsided by a semi. The crash was at the intersection of Worth County Road s28 and Iowa Highway 9.

The driver of the van, Natalie Streets, 22, was treated and released for injuries.

The girls were reportedly on their way to a canoe outing organized by Worth County Conservation.

Nugent said Stehn was expected to enter fourth grade this fall, and Riedinger would have been going into seventh grade.

Nugent said the community is invited to attend a prayer vigil at 9 p.m.today at the elementary playground.