Can you imagine waking up to police at your door? That would be terrifying. But then to find out your 7-year-old son stole your car? That would be shocking. One mom in Utah had that kind of morning. Her elementary school age son took her car for a joyride, and he asked his little sister to come along.
The mom had no idea what could have possessed her child to steal her car. But once she knew what was going on, she moved swiftly to sort it out. And now, her son may not get to drive a car before he’s 30.
Mom Whitney Bush woke up early on Sunday, April 27, 2025, she told ABC 4. She checked on all four of her kids before going back to bed. When she woke up again, it was because police were knocking on her door. They were there to tell her that her 7-year-old son stole her car. He and his 5-year-old sister were driving to Ogden, Utah, around 10 miles away from their home.
“I absolutely had my heart in my stomach … I had no idea what was going on, I was being told different stories of what was happening,” Bush said.
The Ogden Police Department reported that a reckless driver was called in around 8 a.m. Officers began pursuing the car, but once they figured out the age of the driver, they backed off for safety reasons. When the car hit a parking strip, police showed up. According to the police officers, the kids were unharmed.
Bush then went to the scene of the crime, but was then “rerouted” to the police. “They had already had — I guess — EMS come out and check on my kids and transferred them over to the police station,” she said.
The mom explained that her son has some behavioral issues. And while she sought help for him, she was repeatedly turned away due to his age. Still, this isn’t something she could have anticipated.
“I don’t think anybody wakes up in the morning or goes through their day thinking their 7-year-old is going to play Grand Theft Auto with their vehicle,” she said. Apparently, the little boy told everyone he was going to McDonald’s. He even had his money ready.
Trying to gain favor with his mom, the boy claimed he wore his seat belt the whole time. Still, that’s not going to make up for his behavior. According to Bush, after her kids hit another car, they “flipped off” the driver.
Even though she’s admitted to being impressed by her son’s trip, “I’m not proud of him by any means,” she said. “He’s in a world of trouble, he’s probably grounded for the rest of his life.”
Because of his age, her son won’t be facing any charges. However, he will be doing community service for his neighbors.
