It has been an unusual week for police reports involving 13-year-olds allegedly stealing vehicles. Law enforcement agencies in Delaware, Missouri, and now Indiana have all announced unrelated cases involving suspects the same age.
Missouri police praised a mother who turned her 13-year-old son over to officers after investigators said he fled in a stolen vehicle alongside a 14-year-old. Meanwhile, Delaware police arrested another 13-year-old after investigators said he stole a vehicle from a state park campground and led officers on a pursuit through multiple jurisdictions.
The latest case comes from Indiana, where Indiana State Police say a 13-year-old girl from Elkhart County allegedly stole a Ford F-150 before leading troopers on a pursuit that ended when the pickup became stuck in a cornfield. WNDU and other local Indiana news outlets have also reported the arrest.
Police said the truck had been reported stolen from nearby Goshen. After it became stuck in the field, the girl allegedly ran through a nearby yard and into a cornfield before additional officers established a perimeter and eventually located her.
Truck Became Stuck in a Cornfield During the Pursuit
The pursuit began around 8:40 a.m. Tuesday, when Master Trooper Danny Burch spotted a speeding Ford F-150 near the intersection of State Road 19 and County Road 26 in Elkhart County.
When Burch attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over. During the pursuit, the truck left the roadway multiple times before becoming stuck in a cornfield near the intersection of State Road 19 and County Road 30.
After abandoning the pickup, the girl allegedly fled on foot through a nearby yard and cornfield. Additional law enforcement officers responded, established a perimeter, and eventually located her.
Police Say a Taser Was Used During the Arrest
After locating the girl, officers gave her loud verbal commands. Police said she failed to comply and instead began advancing toward a trooper.
A trooper then deployed a Taser, and she was taken into custody. Police later determined the Ford F-150 had been reported stolen from Goshen.
The girl was transported to a hospital for medical clearance. Police said she was not injured before being transported to the Elkhart Juvenile Justice Center.
Because the suspect is a juvenile, Indiana State Police have not publicly released her identity. The allegations are accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Other Recent Cases Involving 13-Year-Old Suspects
The Indiana case is one of several unrelated incidents involving 13-year-olds accused of stealing vehicles that have been reported this week.
In Kansas City, Missouri, police praised a mother after they said she turned her 13-year-old son over to officers. According to investigators, the boy and a 14-year-old allegedly fled from police in a stolen vehicle before running into a home. Police said the mother refused to let the teens hide inside the home and instead told them to go outside, where officers took them into custody.
In a separate case in Delaware, police arrested another 13-year-old after investigators said he stole a vehicle from a campsite at Delaware Seashore State Park and led officers on a pursuit through multiple jurisdictions. The chase ended after officers deployed stop sticks, and police said the boy later fled on foot before his father turned him over several hours later.
While the three cases are unrelated, all three stand out because they involve suspects who were just 13 years old.