10-year-old boy driving with his 11-year-old sister exits vehicle.Photo:Alachua County Sheriff
Alachua County Sheriff
Two young siblings werepulled overhundreds of miles away from their Florida home early Thursday after stealing their mother’s car and attempting to flee to California.
According to theAlachua County Sheriff’s Office, deputies stopped a white sedan on Interstate 75 in Alachua just before 4 a.m. local time.
“The vehicle was reported stolen out of North Port, Florida causing deputies to conduct a high risk traffic stop,” the sheriff’s office said. “Much to their surprise, Deputies observed a 10-year-old male driver exit the vehicle, along with his 11-year-old sister.”
The decision to steal the car came after the siblings were upset that their mom had taken their electronic devices, the sheriff’s office said. “It’s believed to have been done because they were not using them appropriately,” they added.
North Port Police spokesperson Josh Taylor toldUSA Todaythat the mother realized her car, children and some of their clothes were missing around 11:25 p.m. that night. She then called the police. The family’s identity has not been released at this time.
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Detectives from the sheriff’s office said they also spoke with the mother, who was “clearly doing her best to raise two young children and she was very receptive to the recommendations they provided in helping her get assistance.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the mother chose not to press charges, so the only criminal charge that could be brought against the kids is driving without a valid license.
“This crime is a criminal traffic violation and a juvenile will not be accepted into the department of juvenile justice for misdemeanor criminal traffic,” they said.
source: people.com
