Busted. Boy takes siblings for a ride, St. Paul, MN

Some young children choose to run away from home (even in the best of families).  Driving is one way, if keys are accessible.

New York Daily News/Rachelle Blidner, 8/28/15.  "Watch: Boy 8, in pajamas busted on yoy ride with foster siblings, 3 and 5."

What do we have here,
driving without legal age.

While running away was fun,
you're busted, and it's done.

"A pajama-clad 8-year-old boy took his sleepy foster siblings, ages 3 and 5, on an early morning joyride in Minnesota, newly released dash cam video shows. The unnamed boy cruised 15 miles down the highway, from St Paul to Mounds View, in his foster family's white Buick Roadmaster SUV before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25, according to local reports. The joyride, which went between 20 and 40 mph, came to a halt after State Troopers responded to reports of an erratic driver.
 ....  The children were taken into state custody as child protective services investigated their foster parents, who had reported the kids missing as police chased after them. They were soon returned to their foster parents, who were deemed safe. It's unclear why the boy took off or where he was going, but he has a history of running away, Fox 9 reported (includes video, 2:27 minutes).   Read more, includes slides.
 

Related articles. - Star Tribune/Mary Lynn Smith, 4/29/15. "8-year-old-drives car with two young passengers on Twin Cities freeways. "The 8-year-old boy likely could barely reach the car’s pedals or see over the steering wheel. But he climbed into a car early Tuesday morning (8/25/15) along with a 5-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy and drove down St. Paul streets and onto high-speed highways, then headed north before the State Patrol caught up with him.  .... Fortunately, none of the kids or anyone else on the roads were injured, she said. The 8-year-old and his two little passengers were not wearing seat belts, she said." KRON 4/Sharon Song, 8/28/15, includes video 54 seconds, "8-year old Minnesota boy leads state troopers on slow speed chase." "Officials say the two younger children, ages 3 and 5, are siblings and all three were in foster care in a St. Paul home. It’s unclear whether the children are still in the home."Daily Mail/UK, 8/27/25, includes slides and video, "Dash cam captures..." "The dash cam of a Minnesota cop car has captured the moment an eight-year-old boy was caught on a wild joy ride across town in his mom's car.State Patrol started getting calls about an erratic driver on Highway 36 near 35w in St. Paul during the morning rush hour."    Note: photographs from Fox 9 from the related Daily Mail article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh