A Utah mother said her 7-year-old son is in “world of trouble” after taking her car and driving miles away from home with his younger sister.
According to a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the Ogden City Police Department 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 difficulty 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,” officials said. “The vehicle traveled through multiple jurisdictions before Ogden Police received the reckless driving complaint.”
A drive from Clearfield to Ogden is approximately 9 miles long.
Police said the young driver did not yield when they attempted a traffic stop. Because of the driver’s age and the increased risk to public safety, police said their officers turned off their emergency equipment and chose not to pursue.
Authorities later discovered the vehicle disabled near 40th Street, where it collided with a parking strip. The seven-year-old boy was discovered 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,” said a department spokesperson.
Given the driver’s age, police said no charges would be filed, and no additional information is being provided at this time.
The children’s mother, Whitney Bush, told ABC affiliate KTVX that she is not “proud” of her son by any means.
“He is in a world of trouble, he is probably grounded for the rest of his life,” she told me.
Bush recalled waking up early to check on her four children and returning to bed when she discovered they were asleep.
Then, on Sunday morning, she reported that Clearfield Police knocked on her door and informed her that her car and two of her children were missing. Bush later told KTVX she had no idea what was happening.
The mother claimed she later arrived at the crash site and was directed to the police department.
“They had already had — I guess — EMS come out and check on my kids and transferred them over to the police station,” Bush told television station KTVX.
In her interview, Bush stated that her son planned to go to McDonald’s and had money with him. She also mentioned that her son said he wore his seatbelt during the ride.
Bush, a single mother, stated that her 7-year-old son has had some behavioral issues, but nothing like what happened on Sunday. She stated that she sought help for him but had not received it due to his age.
She mentioned that her son wants to be a truck driver. However, she added, “I told him it was not going to be today; he would have to wait.”
