No tickets issued, CPS contacted following recent child driving incident

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Corpus Christi police said they have notified the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services about a child who was involved in several car accidents this week.

On Monday, the boy caused a series of accidents in different locations until he and his family’s truck reached a McDonald’s parking lot off Kostoryz Road and SPID.

On Wednesday evening, officers again went to the HEB parking lot in Kostoryz, where the same child was found driving a pink car.

Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Police say no tickets were issued at these crime scenes. Detectives are working with the CPS to consider whether charges will be brought in the future.

The child behind the wheel is described as having a mental disability.

3NEWS spoke to the Nueces Center for Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, which provided valuable information for parents.

It can be a shocking experience for the families of an autistic or mentally disabled child if the child’s behavior puts himself or others in danger.

“Every situation is different, but it can be very lonely for families who experience something like this,” says Mark Morris, head of the MHID crisis program.

He said that by the time they were contacted, the situation had already escalated to the point of a crisis. He would like to see this change by encouraging families to contact the centre sooner.

“In order to avoid coming into conflict with the justice system and being sent to an institution, hospital or prison, they should report as soon as they notice a change in behavior,” he said.

Morris also hopes to help break the stigma surrounding people with intellectual disabilities.

“Because everyone deserves a chance,” he said.

He said the centre offers a range of services for people of all ages and the support parents need, including a strong crisis team.

“We can respond to any type of crisis, help de-escalate the situation, provide skills and training to help parents and those affected themselves deal with the situation or with stressors in the family or at home,” he said.

Morris wants to make sure the community knows the organization is there to help, and he encourages families to add their loved ones to their list as soon as possible.

“Even if you’re not sure if there’s an intellectual disability or autism or something like that, put them on the list as early as possible so they can access it sooner rather than later,” he said.

The services offered at the center also include Medicaid waiver programs.

“Sometimes the program also includes a housing option, which can be useful for families when they can no longer accommodate the individuals in their home,” he said.

MHID has a long list of helpful contacts, including a crisis hotline at 1 (888) 767-4493.

For further information, click here.