A Florida mother is facing criminal charges after deputies say she let her 11-year-old child drive from their Riverview home to a 7-Eleven — a trip that ended with the child crashing into a concrete barrier.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the convenience store on Gordon Road at about 8:35 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, after receiving a report that a child had crashed a vehicle into a concrete traffic barrier.
Investigators said 41-year-old Carribean Myers was riding in the vehicle as a passenger while the 11-year-old drove from their residence to the gas station.
Deputies said the child attempted to stop but mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the vehicle into the barrier. No one was injured, but both the vehicle and the building sustained damage, according to HCSO.
The crash also came uncomfortably close to becoming much more serious, according to an employee who was working inside the store.
Rebecca Rountree told FOX 13 Tampa Bay she heard a loud crash before coming outside and seeing the damaged vehicle.
“They would have driven through our store,” Rountree said, adding that the store was busy and there could have been numerous injuries.
Deputies say mother had previously allowed children to drive
Investigators said the Sunday night trip was not the only concern they uncovered.
According to the sheriff’s office, Myers had not had a valid driver’s license since July 13, 2026. Deputies also alleged that she had previously permitted her underage children to drive without valid licenses.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister sharply criticized the decision to put an 11-year-old behind the wheel.
“Putting an 11-year-old behind the wheel is reckless and could have ended in tragedy,” Chronister said.
The sheriff said the decision put both the child and people nearby at risk, adding that parents have a responsibility to protect their children from dangerous situations.
HCSO Public Relations Coordinator Casey Minuto similarly told FOX 13 that authorities were fortunate nobody was injured.
“This could have ended in tragedy,” Minuto said.
Myers was arrested on charges of child abuse and permitting an unauthorized minor to drive, according to HCSO. The charges are allegations, and the sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active.
Riverview case draws reaction online
The unusual circumstances of the arrest quickly started circulating on local social media.
In the public Riverview Word of Mouth Facebook group, one user apparently referring to the case asked, “Is the woman who let her son drive at 7-11 a member here?”
The sheriff’s office does not identify the child’s gender in its official release, so the Facebook user’s reference to a “son” should not be treated as a verified detail.
The local Facebook discussion can be viewed here.
The story also spread beyond the immediate Riverview community. An X user posting about the arrest focused on two details likely to fuel debate: deputies’ statement that Myers did not have a valid license herself and their allegation that she had allowed underage children to drive before.
HCSO also posted details of the case on its own social channels, while FOX 13 shared its coverage with its Tampa Bay audience.
At this stage, publicly searchable reaction is still developing, and there was not enough independently verifiable comment activity to accurately characterize the response as widespread outrage. The available posts, however, show the case beginning to generate local discussion over the decision to let such a young child drive.
For the workers and customers who were at the Riverview 7-Eleven Sunday night, the biggest takeaway may be how narrowly the incident avoided a more serious outcome.
Rountree told FOX 13 the SUV stopped only feet from the store while numerous customers were inside.
Myers remained in custody Monday night, according to FOX 13. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said it will provide additional information if there are further developments in the investigation.
