Nine-year-old Catherine Tropeano of Wareham remains in critical but stable condition at Children's Hospital in Boston after a two-car-rollover accident involving her family this Saturday, according to a statement released by her father Patrick Tropeano on Thursday afternoon.

"[Catherine] continues to make progress, and we remain positive that she will pull through with the same determination that defines her enormous spirit and kindness," Tropeano wrote.

Her brother, seven-year-old Ryan, was released from Children's on Tuesday and, along with five other members of the Tropeano family who suffered minor injuries, is expected to make a full recovery.

Tropeano praised the emergency workers who responded to the scene for giving Catherine a "fighting chance for recovery."

"We are particularly indebted to the first responders who played such a critical role in stabilizing our daughter's condition," he said. "All too often we take for granted the roles of EMT's, [and] the local and state police and fire-department personnel, but this past weekend we found out firsthand just how important these services can be," Tropeano wrote. "To those individuals, we are deeply indebted and forever grateful.  Also a special thanks to the ER doctors and nurses at Tobey Hospital."

Tropeano said that the family also appreciated the well wishes and expressions of support from Wareham residents.

"The response from the local community has been overwhelming," Patrick Tropeano wrote.  "It has helped us immensely in dealing with the aftermath of a horrifying automobile accident."

Preliminary investigation by the State Police indicates that 41 year-old Daylene Tropeano from Buzzards Bay was operating a 1999 GMC Suburban in the center lane when a 1999 Toyota Avalon being operated by 66 year-old Louise Houle from Falmouth approached from the rear and made contact with the Suburban, causing both vehicles to roll over. The GMC came to rest in the median on the driver's side, and the Toyota came to rest on its roof in the breakdown lane.

Both operators, along with five of the Tropeanos' children who were in the Suburban, were transported to Tobey Hospital in Wareham.  Ryan and Catherine were transferred to Children's Hospital.  The other victims suffered minor injuries.

The facts and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police with the assistance of the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section.