2 girls killed, 4 hurt after SUV hits pony cart

MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — A pony cart carrying six young children pulled into the path of a sport utility vehicle on a rural northern Indiana road Monday, killing two of the youngsters and leaving three others with serious head injuries, sheriff's officials said.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department reported that Jenna Miller, 10, died at the scene about 30 miles east of South Bend. Deputies told The Elkhart Truth and WSBT-TV that Jolisa Miller, 7, died after being airlifted to Fort Wayne Parkview Hospital.

The driver of the cart, Jeneva Miller, 10, and Joyce Miller, 9, also were airlifted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne with head injuries. The Truth reported that Jeneva was listed in critical condition Monday night, while Joyce was in fair condition.

Jared Miller, 4, was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich., also with serious head injuries. The sixth child, Justin Miller, 5, complained of shoulder pain but declined medical treatment.

A statement from the sheriff's department did not indicate whether the children were related.

"It's really tough when you lose one person. We're all close," neighbor Kenny Stutzman told the television station. "Nobody expects something like that, so it brings all the neighbors together."

The driver of the SUV, Kathy Butterfield, 60, of Bristol, was not injured but was visibly shaken as she was consoled by nearby residents. She was not cited at the scene.