UPDATED: Injured Boy Opens Eyes, Remains in Critical Condition

Sam Seward, 10, remains in critical condition Friday, according to a Hennepin County Medical Center spokeswoman. Seward was struck by a car on April 12 in Minnetonka. He underwent surgery two days after the accident to remove parts of his skull—relieving pressure on his brain. 

On Easter Sunday, Seward’s father, via a CaringBridge page, announced that the boy's brain swelling had lessened and that he was able to open his eyes briefly.

“We asked Sam to open his eyes he tried really hard and opened up one-then the other-about halfway-looked back and forth-blinked 3 or 4 times, then went back to sleep,” Seward’s father wrote. 

The family also reported that Sam is on fewer medications as his brain swelling decreases and thanked everyone in the community who has prayed for the boy. They have not updated the site with the boy's condition since that evening. To see that page, please click here.

Minnetonka Police Chief Mark Raquet recently told Patch that a Minnesota State Patrol report on the incident is not expected until at least mid-May. The state patrol was called in immediately after the incident to conduct an accident reconstruction at the scene. Until that report is issued, Minnetonka Police consider the accident active/under investigation and likely will not comment further. 

The accident happened only yards from Seward's home in the 13500 block of Excelsior Boulevard. Although eye witnesses have offered conflicting accounts of the accident, according to the CaringBridge page, Seward "was struck by a car when he was going to retrieve the ball." 

Seward is a fourth grader at St. John's Catholic School in Hopkins. The boy remains in the hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and is surrounded by his family.