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8-Year-Old Drives to Target, Hits Mailbox, and Is Found Safe

8-Year-Old Drives to Target, Hits Mailbox, and Is Found Safe
  • PublishedSeptember 16, 2024

An 8-year-old girl made headlines recently after driving herself from her home to a Target store in Bainbridge, according to a Bedford Police report.

On Sunday morning, Bedford Police responded to a report of a missing child and a missing vehicle from a residence on Greencroft Road. The family had last seen the girl around 7 a.m. and reported her and a 2020 Nissan Rogue as missing around 9 a.m.

Initial investigations were aided by neighbors who provided Ring doorbell camera footage showing the girl entering the SUV and driving away. Bedford Heights police later received a call about a child driving a vehicle matching the description of the missing SUV. Despite their efforts, officers could not locate the vehicle at that time.

Flock cameras eventually captured the SUV traveling east on Pettibone Road, leading police to the Target store in Bainbridge. Officers found the vehicle parked at the store and located the girl inside. The child was safely returned to her family.

During the incident, the young driver reported that she had struck a mailbox during her journey.

With input from Cleveland19 and News5 Cleveland.

Joe Yans

Joe Yans is a 25-year-old journalist and interviewer based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As a local news correspondent and an opinion section interviewer for Wyoming Star, Joe has covered a wide range of critical topics, including the Israel-Palestine war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and the 2025 LA wildfires. Beyond reporting, Joe has conducted in-depth interviews with prominent scholars from top US and international universities, bringing expert perspectives to complex global and domestic issues.