A west-central Florida woman is accused of allowing her 11-year-old child to drive a car to a gas station, a move that ultimately resulted in the youth crashing the vehicle, authorities said.
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Carribean Sabrirah Camilia Myers, 41, of Riverview, was arrested on Sunday.
She was charged with one count of child abuse and one count of permitting an unauthorized minor to drive, online records show.
In a news release, the sheriff’s office said that deputies were called to a 7-Eleven convenience store in Riverview at about 8:35 p.m. ET after receiving a report that a child had crashed a vehicle into a concrete traffic barrier.
During their investigation, deputies learned that Myers had allowed her 11-year-old child, who has autism, to operate the vehicle from their residence to the convenience store, WFLA reported.
According to the sheriff’s office, Myers was supervising the youth. But while the child was attempting to stop the vehicle, they mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake and crashed into the barrier.
There were no injuries, but the vehicle and a building were damaged, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies also discovered that Myers had not had a valid driver’s license since July 13, 2026, and had previously allowed her underage children to drive without a license, WFLA reported.
Myers was arrested and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail early Monday, online records show.
“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.”
An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.
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