A mother and her two adorable daughters died in a horrific car crash involving a tractor-trailer that caused their truck to burst into flames.
Michelle C. Yaeger, 45, and her two daughters Kenzi and Natalie, 8 and 10, had been traveling in their GMC Yukon when it crashed on Friday morning in Missouri.
According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, a truck hauling lumber had pulled on to the inside shoulder of the ramp between Interstate 55 and Interstate 270.
The driver had thought there was an issue keeping their load secure and after stopped, the rear of the truck was struck by the family car.
Yaeger and Kenzi died in the wreck that caught flames, while Natalie was taken by ambulance to a nearby children's hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Kenzi and Natalie, 8 and 10, both died following the horrific car crash on Friday
The driver had thought there was an issue keeping their load secure and after stopped, the rear of the truck was struck by the family car
Images captured at the scene show the burnt out Yukon at the side of the highway, with the large tractor trailer also in ruins in the middle of the road.
Authorities said that the driver of the truck had jumped out to help the three but their car had already caught fire, managing to rescue just one of the children.
David D. Frazier, 41, of St Mary, Missouri, who was driving the truck was not injured in the crash according to reports.
Cpl. Dallas Thompson from Missouri State Highway Patrol said: 'He was able to get out and he helped to remove the one juvenile from the vehicle but was unable to get to the other two to do any kind of life saving measures to them.
Yaeger and Kenzi died in the wreck that caught flames, while Natalie was taken by ambulance to a nearby children's hospital where she was pronounced dead
'Young lives that are lost—it is very tragic for everyone. Especially the family and their friends.'
Officials had to close the road for over an hour, with Thompson adding: 'That vehicle crossed onto the left shoulder where that truck was stopped.
'It wasn't part of the area where you're supposed to be driving into, but it is an area we do see often people will cut across there.'
Michelle had been driving her daughters to her sister's house to watch them while she went to work as a dental assistant, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Ken Brooks, the girls' father, described his daughters as being loving and full of life to KMOV.
Images captured at the scene show the burnt out Yukon at the side of the highway, with the large tractor trailer also in ruins in the middle of the road
Ken Brooks, the girls' father, described his daughters as being loving and full of life
He told the outlet: 'They were just taken from us too soon. I've already cried a river, along with everybody else in my family and everybody else who knew Michelle and knew the girls.'
Brooks continued: '[Michelle] had a smile that could light up a room and she passed that down to my babies.
'I drove straight to the crash site, I knew, I hoped and I prayed, I asked god. [Natalie] was young and strong, independent, sassy and loved everybody.
'[Kenzi] had the biggest heart I've ever seen, she loved animals, she loved most people.'
Michelle and Ken's son Brendan also told the outlet: 'I still tried to call her today. I don't know. No pick up and then it just hit me.
'It's just rough. It's really rough. Can't really put it into words how I'm feeling right now.
'I loved my little sisters. They loved me. It was just always full of love and I just loved being around them.'
Natalie died just days after her tenth birthday, with a post made to social by Michelle just a few days earlier describing her as 'smart beautiful, intelligent, gorgeous, vivacious'.
Michelle's place of work, Mercy South, said in a statement: 'Mercy is saddened to learn of the passing of one of our Mercy South co-workers, Michelle Yaeger, along with her daughters.
'Our condolences and prayers go out to Michelle's family and friends as well as our co-workers who have been touched by her in her time with us.'
Hancock School District, where the two girls had attended, said: 'We are saddened by the loss to our school community.'
