Wednesday, January 07, 2009

What drove this American kid to school?

The parents of a six-year-old boy in the US have been charged with neglect after the boy drove their car for 10km in an attempt to get to school on time.

Police in Virginia said the boy, who was not named, took the keys to the car after he missed the school bus.

He drove for six miles (10km) on major roads, weaving through traffic and overtaking slower cars, before losing control and going off the road.

The boy told police he learned to drive by playing video games.

Protective custody

Police said the boy was so intent on getting to school after failing to make the bus, that he got the keys to his father's Ford Taurus and took the wheel himself.

"When he got out of the car, he started walking to school. He did not want to miss breakfast and PE," said Northumberland County Sheriff Chuck Wilkins.

His road trip came to an end only after he ran off the road several times before hitting an embankment and utility pole. He was not, police said, wearing a seat belt.

He was treated for minor injuries at a hospital before police took him to school.

It happened at 0740 on Monday, while the boy's mother was still asleep.

Both of his parents have been charged with endangering their child. He and his four-year-old brother are now in protective custody.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7816511.stm

4 comments:

Tamerlane said...

watching Ferris buellers day off?

Dr. AZLY RAHMAN said...

Watching Home Alone as well!Too much being left alone to play video gmaes.

But then again it's interesting to study the cognitive aspect of the child in this incident/event. What separates Virtuality and Reality in him.

Anonymous said...

I was really touched by the article, more precisely - the boy's tenacity - his desire to 'get to school on time' whatever the odds ... when most six year olds would be quite happy to miss a school day (especially breakfast & PE!) It's a wonder how irresponsible parents can have such an ambitious child! Hope everything works out for him. But with such drive in him (pardon the pun) I have a feeling he will turn out to be just fine.

A Mom

rpremkumar2u said...

Yes, but I wonder what perception his parents have of raising children.

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