Sheriff: Toddler Killed In Rollover Crash Was Sitting On Driver's Lap

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 2-year-old girl died Thursday night in a rollover crash in central Minnesota. Investigators say she was not in a car seat but sitting on the driver's lap.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened around 7 p.m. on the 225th Avenue Southwest, just west of CSAH 5. The car was traveling west on the road when it lost control on loose gravel and rolled into the ditch.

The driver, a 23-year-old woman from Clara City, was wearing a seat belt and had the 2-year-old child sitting on her lap. While both were not thrown from the vehicle, they suffered serious injuries.

The girl was airlifted from the scene, but died en route to the hospital, the sheriff's office said. The driver was brought to Carris Health Rice ER in Willmar for treatment.

On Oct. 12, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Myra Kay Ahrenholz of Prinsburg. The medical examiner says the manner of death is an accident.

Under Minnesota law, children under age 8 must ride in a car seat or booster, and it's recommended that all toddlers ride in rear-facing seats. In the event of injury, the driver is accountable.

The sheriff's office says the crash remains under investigation.