6-year-old misses bus, drives self to school; learned from GTA *Update* now on CNN |
Ó
When I first read this, I was like, "no frakin' way..." But then it's from Associated Press, so ok, let's get on with the details. It can't get any more hardcore than this!
Monday morning in Virgina, a 6-year-old kid missed his school bus. What's a kid to do? He's about to be late! Well, obviously, take your family's car and get your tardy butt to the campus, of course! And that's just what the kid (name undisclosed, so we'll just call him "Lil Nicky" - you'll know why in a bit) did.
While his mother was asleep, "Lil Nicky" took his family's Ford sedan and drove to school. For the most part, the drive was surprisingly uneventful. In fact, he actually made it almost six miles before getting into an accident. According to the report:
He made at least two 90-degree turns, passed several cars and ran off the rural two-lane road several times before hitting an embankment and utility pole about a mile and a half from school.
Ooh, and he was so close!
The fortunate thing is that no one was seriously hurt. "Lil Nicky" was brought by the cops to the hospital for a bump on his head and was eventually taken to school after lunch. Now here's the interesting game-related bit.
The kid explained to the police that he learned how to drive by playing Grand Theft Auto (they didn't seem to specify whichGTAthough) and Monster Truck Jam. County sheriff Chuck Wilkins notes:
He was very intent on getting to school. When he got out of the car, he started walking to school. He did not want to miss breakfast and PE.
Well, you can't blame a kid for seriously wanting to go to school.
Meanwhile, the parents of the 6-year-old are both charged with child endangerment, and the kid and his 4-year-old brother were both put under protective custody. The mom (Jacqulyn Deana Waltman, 26) is currently being held without a bond, while the father (David Eugene Dodson, 40) was released on a US$ 5,000 bond.
Yeah, kids are just so amazing these days. If they're not fighting battles in court to legalize hedgehogs, they're driving themselves to school.
* Article originally posted Jan 07, 2009 at 08:55AM
*Update* Thanks to a comment made by rollypoly, we just found out that this story has actually landed on CNN! Here's a YouTube embed of their news coverage (note that there are some details that seem to be inconsistent with AP's initial report):
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Comments [refresh]
I approve, solely for the purpose that it is awesome.
I don't understand why the parents were arrested. I mean, they didn't really do anything, other than letting there kid play GTA, which alot of parents do. It's not like they put him in the car and told him to drive. *****ing retarded.
its amazing that he actually wanted to go to school lool
What the hell were the parents doing when they have a 6 year old kid that needs to get to school? They've been charged with child endangerment because it was possible for the kid to get the car and drive off without them knowing. Stupid parents..!
Cool kid though, but not to cool for school!
"While his mother was asleep, "Lil Nicky" took his family's Ford sedan and drove to school."
.......but he should have skip that day and practice his driving skills a bit more
they serve breaktfast at his school! ive never had that kind of treatment before! :(
so a kid, instead of waking his parents up, decides to take the car for a ride himself. And now the parents are arrested and kids put in protective custody? What the hell is wrong with the legal system!
hmm gta and monster jam...
kudos to the kid, he actually did a better job than some adults.
most kids that young want to play with other kids. it's no real surprise he'd rather be at school.
the mother should have been awake. if this were a single parent situation i could see not being as harsh...
if there is a legitimate reason and the children are not in any constant danger, the parents will get the kids back. maybe this is exactly what they needed to realize the responsibility they have.
the school system around here started serving breakfast years ago, but it's not like it's free... it's cheaper and healthier to give the kid a proper breakfast of cereal or whatever...
Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their children are safe and to take reasonable precautions in protecting their children. If the parents were negligent, they ought to be held responsible. If an investigation finds no negligence in this incident and an overall safe and healthy environment for the children, they're certainly be given back to the parents.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/01/07/dnt.va.6.yr.old.car.crash.wtvr
more info and a short interview with the father
First off... public schools serve b'fast usually to less fortunate ... the poor kids. Always have .. always will.
Father 40 ... mother 26 ... now, call me jumping to conclusions but I'd guess we're talkin' about a family with a few other dysfunctions.
My parents woke up with me to get me to school .. that is what parenting is.
If your dog gets loose and bites someone, you're responsible for that ... if your kid does the same thing, only with a car, you are also legally responsible.
When something this bone-headed happens, I'd fully expect child protective services to get involved...
If it was a one time slip and the children are found to not be in any danger, I doubt there'll be much of a problem besides paying back the damaged property.
...many children receive free or reduced breakfast (and lunch) through state and federal assistance programs. It's very common.
Article updated! (had to use a YouTube embed though, since CNN embeds seem to mess up our site structure o_0)
Thanks for the heads up, rollypoly! ^_^V
np Gino :)
nyr2k2...
yes schools here have a similar program, but it never includes breakfast, only lunch.
This story is jacked no mater how you look at it.
A 6 year old gets up in the morning, gets himself ready, and heads off to the bus stop on his own? WTF?
Yes, those parents belong in jail.
Then there's the BS factor of this story. HTF can a 6 year old reach anything in a car? HTF did a 6 year old know he was late for school? That's a little too high speed for 6.
Why did he take maters into his own hands? Was he afraid he was going to get in trouble?
Yes - HTF was taking the care NOT going to get him in trouble?
No - WTF would you not just go to your parents room and proclaim your mistake?
Any story that reeks of this many questions must be BS.
I know the kid actually took the highways and almost got to school XD. This kid should get gamer of the year award.
Exactly my point above, this story is BS.
The mother was asleep.
The mother wasn't asleep.
1.5 miles from ther school.
.5 mile from the school.
No sense in commenting on something of which the facts are all screwed up. People are just pulling figures out of their ass.
Me to! If on time, you got breakfast. In fact, in the first grade is when I learned to mix Cheerios and Raisin Brand. Yummy! Still do that to this very day.
The mother should be in jair for a least 3 months for not being with her son at the bus stop. What'd happended if the kid got kidnapped? uh! i bet school was serving pizza that day.
I have heard of other instances where kids can take a parents car far a joy ride. But to be thrown in jail with no bond? Even if no harm was done, a jail record stays with you forever. The damage is now already done. I wonder if any of you will have any children who take the keys from you without you knowing, would you also be willing to go to jail.
....How did the father bag a woman 14 years younger than him?! Lucky guy.
Of course not... but I'd have to go cuz that's what you do when the courts say you have to.
I would beat my child like a rented mule if he/she did something soooooo stupid.
There's just too many versions to this story to make an accurate assessment w/o having the facts completely straight. Every site has differing data....
imHo -
1> the parents shoulda been awake w/ a 6yr old to get them properly ready for school.
2> the parents should NOT have let a 6yr old play GTA4... sorry it's just not a game for that age.
3> the parents are legaly responsible for their offspring's actions until they are considered "of age" or "an adult" or... basically 18yrs... and even then I'm told they can still come back on the parents depending....
she is probably fat and gross, but awesome job, if I was the cop that stopped the kid, I would give him 1 million cookies!!
not uncommon. just have to get there early enough.
this kid is so *****ing dumb no amount of school can help him he cites Monster Truck Jam and Grand Theft Auto as his sources for learning to drive (the monster truck is obvious No-No but also have you ever tried to not commit a trafic violation in GTA? Its HARD!)which is quite ironic that he chooses two games devoted to the ideal of *****ing up cars and lives.! Maybe his parents, (who would let a six year old play GTA, wake himself up for school, go to the bus stop himself and resort to driving a car to school) didn't teach him anything and thats why he was eager to get to school
"a jail record stays with you forever."
That is false. With the excpetion of this case as the NEWS STORY will most likely be around in archives for a VERY long time.
A six year old with GTA? Very good parenting skills........
Yeah... I totally forgot about that false statement.
... okay... so there was a babysitter...
Gets upgraded to only POOR PARENTING... unless they don't fire the babysiter... then it's back to BAD PARENTING.
the infants who comment on this site consider those "fightin' words"
/lmao
He's six. Wtf do you really expect?
Definitely awesome.
he got hoes ready for him for school.
Big Pimping!
Wow this kid is smart. He was determined to go to school, lol. Sucks he crash, and he was so close. Funny a 6 year old with GTA.
my school has breakfeast but it only last for 5 mins. too fast.
my first block teacher was nice enough to let us be late when the bell ring.
The kid rush and grab the car keys and zoom took off. Now if I was the parent, How the ***** can I stop a moving car? Chase it? yeah *****ing right.
Ever watch the movie problem child? classic. He locks the damn car so nobody cant get in.
... is that this kid was able not only to drive the car (successfully) to his elementary school but that he knew where it was and how to get there! Hell, 10 miles away and he can navigate the car to the school? Amazing! I give this kid kudos!
*unsuccessfully
If I was the cop I cover it up because the legal system is way ***** UP!
LOL
Jack Thompson probably paid the kid to say he learned it from GTA.
the kid was prolly out of his mind after over-dosing on all the viagra pillz lying around the house...
I mean, the 40 yr old guy has to satisfy a 26 yr old lady. Can't blame him...
what the hell are they serving for brekkist at that school?! i want some of that stuff!!! XD
jack thompson does act like a 6 year old sometimes too. hahaha.
Child endangerment because the 6 year old was not attended, than was able to get the keys to a car and drive it.....
Maybe she should wake up to see her kids off to school....
Ya but, just cause a parent leaves their keys on the table doesn't mean they're endangering their kid. They should then go knocking on every parents door and arresting the ones that leaves their keys on the table. The parents being asleep is another thing. But that's probably why he takes the bus. Maybe the parents work night shifts or something...
Anyways, I see no reason for the parents to be locked up other than for them not teaching their kid what is right and what is wrong.
I think it's premature to label the arrest and detainment unfair without knowing all the details of the case. Who knows what the environment inside the house was like? For all we know there could have been crack pipes laying on the table. These initial media reports are seriously lacking in detail.
"pulling figures out of their ass"
hehehe. did you know? 78.2% of people will actually believe made up numbers.
....LOL
um, anyways, who cares about the specific details. the story itself is going to be a legend in itself! and the story is simple: 6yearold kid misses bus, drives to school instead, crashes near school.
besides, why contest conflicting evidence in CNN and AP's reports if it won't matter eventually? i bet in the future, some people will start to morph into this urban legend or something. hahaha! could you imagine what it could turn into?
twenty years from now, a guy in his forties will talk to his friends over beer:
"yknow, some time back, there was this 6 year old kid who missed his school bus and wanted to go to school so bad because of breakfast (yea he was malnurished by his stupid parents, so his only source of food was the one provided by the school!) so he got his dad's keys and drove off in a semi-truck to go to school. yea! a 16wheeler even! he ran over a dog, a circus clown, and some pigeons, but they all actually lived. and when he got to school, he didn't find any parking. well, there was ONE parking space, but he didn't know how to parallel park. much less park with a 16wheeler truck. so he crashed the semitruck into the cafeteria and parked there instead. oh, and he missed breakfast."
LOL
and thus an urban legend is born! so. who's complaining about conflicting facts, hmm? hehehehe! XD
It's quite funny but I really learned to drive and park my car from GTA 3 because each and every car had a different feel to it
You can stop a moving car by never letting your kid get to the keys in the first place.
Can your kid run inside and grab your gun?
78.2? I never knew that. Thanks for the info!
Point being, I doubt either QJ or CNN are right.
I doubt this has anything to do with missing the bus. The damn kid was just f'ing around.
If the parents can prove their kid went around all safety measures then they'll get off without a scratch.
But is the babysitter hot? Come on now! Priorities!!!!
that kid must be *****en stuped...
i know kids who play gta and they don't *****en drive, just think about it , would you be worried about gettin late to school or drivin a car?
that kid didnt learn that when you play gta the cops would show up?
Think of it this way, if your gun kills someone, you goto jail.
This is true. The parents could've been passed out from being *****faced and could be raging drunks and let their kid fend for himself. We may never know...
I've gotta say, kudos to the kid for making it that far before totalling the car. And for being so anxious to get to school.
But WTF was the kid thinking? Taking his parents' car to school? You'd have to be the biggest idiot in the world not to see the huge flaws in logic there.
And wtf were the parents doing? "Oh, we were busy looking for our 4 year old's-" I DON'T CARE. Kids like this one need to be kept under constant supervision
I can understand the parents were arrested, but why hold the mother and not the father? Legally they should be equally responsible. And why no bond?
Something doesn't add up. And maybe the kid only plays the driving parts of GTA, who knows. Maybe he just said it to sound cool. Just 'cos he's 6 doesn't mean he isn't developed enough to be an *****.
Typical reporting - none of the facts, all of the sensation. The media could create a witch-hunt from hearing about someone sneezing...
Because the father wasn't there..... according to ANOTHER news source that had a THIRD set of information.
"But is the babysitter hot? Come on now! Priorities!!!! "
As there are already so many replies all good and valid I'll have mine.
1st, Who lets a 6yo play GTA? I have a 5yo and she's never seen me play GTA as its not the sort of game I want her to see. I dont even play it when she's awake.
2nd, Who sleeps while thier kid gets up and gets themselves off to school? I get up, make sure my kid is ready for kinder then take them there, I them come back and go back to bed. All good. This is what a good parent does. Not sleep through it anad let the kid do it all themselves.
3rd, Who lets a kid get near a car with the keys? My kid does sit in the front seat when she's already in the car but never with the keys. There should be no way the kid can ever get the keys and the car together.
Again, WTF were they thinking letting a 6yo play GTA..... They dont deserve kids. I hope they dont get the kid back.
Oh, and wow, a kid learned that by playing GTA... I guess he'll be in prison with his mum and dad when he gets older. Was he black? I bet he is.
So he's not black.... my bad.
Still the first story sounds more real than the video story. It sounds like it'll all come out in court... maybe. I bet the parents will make up a story that makes them sound good.
"A 6 year old gets up in the morning, gets himself ready, and heads off to the bus stop on his own? WTF?
Yes, those parents belong in jail."
I'm sure isoheavy's parents had to get him up, ready, and to the bus stop on time at least until the age of 15, but that's great this kid was so mature. Yeah the parents overslept, but is that a crime these days? What parent thinks their son is going to attempt driving? Every parent makes mistakes, just look how isoheavy turned out.
"You can stop a moving car by never letting your kid get to the keys in the first place."
So you're saying all parents are criminals if they leave the car keys out? It's child endangerment because they didn't expect their 6 year old to attempt driving?
What is wrong with your brain? Oh yes, horrible parenting combined with a hint of mental retardation.
"Can your kid run inside and grab your gun?"
Wow, that's a rather disturbing reference. Like you're anyone that can be trusted with kids.
Are you seriously this stupid or do act this way for kicks?
Seriously ISOHaven you are an american retard. So you want to make it illegal to leave keys on your table and that other *****? Honestly people like you make me sick. What makes you think that people should hide there keys expecting there kids to take them.
Isohaven "ohh honey don't forget to put the keys in the safe"
ho "no prob babe, now our kids won't decide to drive to school if they miss the bus at 7:35"
isohaven "yeah we could go to jail for something that we had no idea they would do"
But seriously Binary is nothing but right. ISOHaven when I first started reading your post I thought it was sarcasm, but then I realized your really that stupid
1. Who said I was American?
2. No, I said no such thing. Learn to read jackass. There's much more to it.
this kid is cool he deserves props and thats a sik story for him to tell his kids when he is older lol
You sure you have a kid? Youre a child youself, teenage parent perhaps? What difference would him being black be? Grow up. No need for that.
Legend
nope. not black. just another stupid white kid. no black kid would ever take the car to school, just joyrides that end in a very funny arrest !
Classic..