2 Las Cruces boys killed, 2 others in critical, after Oklahoma van crash

TEXOMA, Oklahoma – A van carrying eight children from Las Cruces struck a semi-truck along an Oklahoma highway, killing two of the New Mexico youngsters and hospitalizing two others.

The weekend crash happened along Highway 54 near Texoma.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers told KFOR-TV that inattention by the van driver, identified as 30-year-old Intessar Al Yasiri, was to blame for causing the crash.

Authorities said a 3-year-old and 9-year-old boy died at the scene of the crash, while two other boys - ages 8 and 10 - were hospitalized in critical condition.

A GoFundMe posting seeking to raise money for funeral expenses identifies Al Yasiri as the mother of all eight children in the van, and indicates they ranged in age from 7 months to 11 years.

The post said she was traveling with her kids back to New Mexico from a trip to Iowa at the time of the crash.