Single-mother had two young children in car when semi crossed into lane, killing her

Haley Habiger was a single mother traveling with her two young children in the car when a semi crossed into her lane on Friday evening in northwest Wichita.

The 24-year-old Wichita woman died in the collision. Her children — a 4-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl — were taken to the hospital but have since been released and are with their grandmother, according to a family member. Tonya Taylor said she doesn’t know what the future arrangement will be for the children.

Habiger’s Facebook cover photo was updated last month and shows the two children in car seats, smiling and holding hands. She was on her way to dropping the children off with one of their fathers when the four-vehicle wreck occurred, Taylor said.

“She would do anything for her kids,” Taylor said. “Her kids came first.”

The Kansas Highway Patrol was called about 5:07 p.m. to the wreck on I-235 near the zoo.

A 51-year-old Wichita man in a Ford Ranger was headed south on I-235 when he swerved into the other lane to avoid rear-ending another vehicle. The swerve caused the man to be “sideswiped” by the driver of a semi-truck, which hit a guardrail and post and went into the northbound lanes, according to the KHP.

Habiger’s car and another vehicle with two Wichita residents in their 80s were headed north on I-235 and hit the side of the semi-truck.

No one else was injured, according to the KHP.

Family and friends, including Brittany Steel, who met Habiger at Pratt Community College, posted on Habiger’s Facebook page. Steel said Habiger was a country girl who was outgoing and liked mudding.

Habiger grew up and graduated from rural Kinsley High School, Taylor said. Habiger worked hard at her job in healthcare at a hospice facility, Taylor said.

Taylor posted photos on Habiger’s Facebook page, including one of Habiger as the flower girl at her wedding.

“I love you and was so proud of you and the momma you were,” Taylor wrote on the post.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help provide for her children. It is available at gofundme.com/f/help-michael-amp-mckynley-kids-of-haley-habiger.

This story was originally published August 22, 2020 at 4:17 PM.