RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A 41-year-old mother is facing charges after deputies say she let her 11-year-old child drive a vehicle to a local gas station, ending in a crash into a concrete barrier.
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were called to a 7-Eleven on Gordon Road in Riverview around 8:35 p.m. on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
According to investigators, Carribean Myers allowed her 11-year-old child, who has autism, to drive the vehicle from their home to the convenience store while she rode in the passenger seat. When the child attempted to stop the vehicle at the store, the child pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal, striking a concrete traffic barrier.
No injuries were reported, though both the vehicle and the building sustained damage.
Deputies determined during their investigation that Myers’ driver’s license had been invalid since July 13, 2026. Authorities also noted that Myers had previously permitted her underage children to drive without a valid license.
“Putting an 11-year-old behind the wheel is reckless and could have ended in tragedy,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “This mother made a dangerous decision that put her child and everyone around them at risk. Parents have a responsibility to protect their children, not place them in situations that could get them or someone else seriously hurt. We will hold anyone accountable who puts a child in danger.”
Myers was arrested and booked on charges of child abuse and permitting an unauthorized minor to drive.
The sheriff’s office said the case remains an active investigation.
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