A Utah mom said her 7-year-old son is in a “world of trouble” after he took her car and drove miles away from home with his younger sister.
Ogden City Police Department said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that it was notified on Sunday, April 27, around 8 a.m., local time, of a “reckless driver” near 21st Street and Wall Avenue in Ogden. They added that the caller expressed concern that the vehicle’s driver, who was having trouble staying in the lane, was a child
“Subsequent investigation revealed that the incident originated in Clearfield, where a 7-year-old boy had taken a family vehicle without parental knowledge,” police said. “The vehicle traveled through multiple jurisdictions before Ogden Police received the reckless driving complaint.”
A drive from Clearfield to Ogden covers about 9 miles.
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Police added that the young driver did not yield after police attempted a traffic stop. Because of the driver’s age and the increased risk to public safety, police said their officers deactivated their emergency equipment and opted not to pursue.
Authorities later found the vehicle disabled near 40th Street, where it struck a parking strip. The 7-year-old boy was found with his younger sister nearby.
“Both children were unharmed, evaluated by medical personnel as a precaution, and safely reunited with their guardians at the police station,” the department said.
Given the driver’s age, police said no charges will be pursued, adding that no further details are being provided at this time.
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Whitney Bush, the children’s mother, told ABC affiliate KTVX that she is not “proud” of her son by “any means.”
“He’s in a world of trouble, he’s probably grounded for the rest of his life,” she said.
Bush recalled that she woke up early to check on her four children and then returned to bed after she found them asleep.
Then on Sunday morning, she said Clearfield Police knocked on her door and said her car and two of her children were missing. Bush later told KTVX she had no idea what was going on.
The mom said she later arrived at the crash site and was rerouted to the police department.
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“They had already had — I guess — EMS come out and check on my kids and transferred them over to the police station,” Bush told KTVX.
In her interview, Bush said that her son was planning to go to a McDonald’s, and he had money with him. She also noted that her son said he had his seatbelt on during the ride.
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Bush, a single mom, noted that the 7-year-old boy has had some behavioral issues, but nothing like what happened on Sunday. She said she sought help for him but hadn’t received it because of his age.
She said that her son wants to become a truck driver. However, she added, “I told him it’s not gonna be today, he’s gotta wait.”
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