An 8-year-old Ohio girl drove an SUV toward one target: authorities

BEDFORD, Ohio (AP) — An 8-year-old girl took an SUV from her home in Ohio and drove miles to a store where she was later found unharmed, authorities said.

The girl, whose name has not been released, and the vehicle — a 2020 Nissan Rogue — were reported missing around 9 a.m., Bedford police said. Family members said they last saw the girl at the residence about two hours earlier.

As police investigated, they learned that a young child had been spotted driving a vehicle on a nearby road, but that vehicle could not be located. The SUV was eventually found a short time later in the parking lot of a Target store in Bainbridge, which is nearly 13 miles (21 kilometers) from her home.

A short time later, the police found the child alone in the store. She told officers she hit a mailbox while driving, but nothing else. Authorities did not say why she decided to go to the store or provide additional details about her trip.

The girl is too young to face criminal charges, police said. It was unclear Monday if charges would be filed in the case, which remains under investigation.

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