Dashcam video: 8-year-old takes mom’s SUV for a Target run

Sep 19

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor )

An 8-year-old Ohio girl took her mother’s SUV for a Target run, police said, and part of her journey was caught on camera. Dashcam video from another vehicle recorded part of the child’s trip as the concerned driver called authorities about the erratic SUV.

Police said the girl was reported missing from her family’s home around 9 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 15. Ring video from a neighbor later provided to investigators showed the girl getting into the SUV alone and driving off earlier that morning.

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As police investigated, they were soon alerted about a small child driving the Nissan Rogue on a roadway. The 911 caller told The New York Times he tried to take a look at who was behind the wheel of the SUV but “could barely see the driver.”

Authorities set out to search for the vehicle. It was eventually spotted at a parking lot of a Target.

Officers located the girl inside the store and reunited the child with her family. Police joked about the impromptu joyride and Target run on Facebook, posting:

“Not sure what she bought, or if she was even able to use her Target app to save 5%. We did let her finish her Frappuccino. We’re not mean.”

Police said no one is facing any charges. Remarkably, no injuries were reported during the girl’s shopping expedition. Though she did admit to police she struck a mailbox along the way.

Tags: Children, Target

“It looks like a kid.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

IT LOOKED LIKE A KID BECAUSE IT WAS A KID. THIS IS DASHCAM VIDEO FROM A CONCERNED DRIVER WHO CALLED AUTHORITIES AFTER SEEING ANOTHER DRIVER SWERVING ON AN OHIO ROADWAY EARLIER THIS WEEK.

A POLICE INVESTIGATION FOUND IT WAS AN 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL TAKING HER MOM’S SUV ON A JOYRIDE.

HER DESTINATION? A TARGET STORE – AROUND 13 MILES AWAY FROM HER HOUSE.

POLICE SAY THE GIRL WAS REPORTED MISSING FROM HER FAMILY’S HOME AROUND 9 A.M. SUNDAY.

RING VIDEO FROM A NEIGHBOR LATER PROVIDED TO INVESTIGATORS SHOWED THE GIRL GETTING INTO THE SUV AND DRIVING OFF EARLIER THAT MORNING.

AS POLICE INVESTIGATED, THEY WERE SOON ALERTED ABOUT A SMALL CHILD DRIVING A NISSAN ROGUE.

THE 911 CALLER TELLING THE NEW YORK TIMES HE TRIED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHO WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE SUV BUT “COULD BARELY SEE THE DRIVER.”

AUTHORITIES SET OUT TO SEARCH FOR THE VEHICLE.

IT WAS EVENTUALLY FOUND AT A PARKING LOT OF A TARGET.

OFFICERS LOCATED THE GIRL INSIDE THE STORE AND REUNITED THE CHILD WITH HER FAMILY.

POLICE LATER JOKING ON FACEBOOK:

“NOT SURE WHAT SHE BOUGHT, OR IF SHE WAS EVEN ABLE TO USE HER TARGET APP TO SAVE 5%. WE DID LET HER FINISH HER FRAPPUCCINO. WE’RE NOT MEAN.”

POLICE SAY NO ONE IS FACING ANY CHARGES.