Brother, 8, kills sister in joyride

A 6-year-old girl has died after she and her 8-year-old brother went for a joyride in their mother’s car and crashed into a pole in Arizona.

The boy was driving when the accident occurred and suffered minor injuries, said Sergeant Steve Martos of Phoenix police.

The children’s mother had put them to bed and then couldn’t find them in their home half an hour later.

Sgt Martos says the frantic mother went door-to-door in the neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the accident had occurred a short distance away. Both children were still in their pyjamas.

Martos said police had received calls about children driving a vehicle and the possible kidnapping.

Officers spotted the vehicle, but when they tried to pull it over, the driver veered to the right and crashed into a pole.

The mother ran to the scene and discovered it was her children involved.