Toddler Accidentally Buys Car With Dad’s Smartphone

I found this too funny not to share. The title makes it sound way worse than it really is due to actual the price of the car but it's still quite a story, this is a lesson for everyone out there that you must always lock your smartphone. This could have ended up being much worse

Like many toddlers, 14-month-old Sorella Stoute enjoys playing with her dad's smartphone. What's not to like? An interactive screen, bright colors, probably some games. And, of course, the eBay app, which Sorella used to buy a 1962 Austin Healey when her father wasn't paying attention.

"She decided to open the eBay app, and started clicking around and one thing led to another and we own a car," Sorella's dad, Paul Stoute, told KOIN 6.

Luckily for Stoute and his wife, the used car was relatively inexpensive, costing just $225. Even so, the purchase -- which the Stoutes found out about when they received the congratulatory email from eBay -- initially worried the couple.

"It was a 'What do we do? We can't really afford it' type of thing," Stoute said.

They ultimately decided to keep the car, storing it behind the home of Sorella's grandmother, Carlene Stenejhem, who at first had trouble believing the news. "I said, 'Yeah, right,'" Stenejhem said. "And [my daughter] said, 'No, Sorella bought a car on eBay and we have to buy it.'"

Stoute hopes to restore the car as a gift for Sorella's 16th birthday or graduation. "I'm just glad she didn't buy the $38,000 Porsche I was looking at," Stoute said.

I would say that the parents handled it rather well

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


She's just making it clear, early on, what she expects for her 16th Birthday.

Kids think ahead these days. You can't underestimate 'em!

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


I wonder what is going on these days?
Is learning genetic?
Can the understanding of technology be passed through DNA?

I just spent a week with my 3 year old great nephew and he can work an iphone better than any adult I know!
It really kinda freaked me out.

I can't wait to see my phone bill next month!

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


LOL, you may be on to something.

That's one smart kid

reply to post by tvtexan


Hopefully he didn't use up too much of your data plan

It is amazing how kids these days can adapt to technology at such a young age.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Cool idea to restore it and make it her 16 year old b-day gift.

Pretty cheap for a Austin Healey. I always thought those cars were pretty rare finds. (At least in the U.S)

-SAP-

reply to post by SloAnPainful


No doubt, if you ask me, the kid did daddy a favor.

I would happily pay the 225 dollars to buy that car.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


No question about that. It would be awesome to try and restore that. Givin' you could find the correct parts for a reasonable price.

...and even if you couldn't it would still be awesome to say you own one.

-SAP-

That car is intriguing.
I'm pretty sure the Healy Sprites did not come from the factory with a roll cage.
Could this car be an ex-racer? perhaps run by a famous race team.
I would like to get under that car to check out the suspension and breaking systems.
I wonder if it has an original engine or some high powered buzzer.
They could have a genuine piece of automotive history.
Or it could be a slug.

There isn't anything funny about this. This is a waking nightmare is what this is.

Kids... *cringe

I don't buy it. Buying something on e-bay is a little more difficult than just hitting the buy it now button. Dad did it and is blaming it on the kid.

reply to post by okayimhere




I bet the first thing you did when you saw this was go and add a lock on your smarthphone, assuming you have one.

The next thing you did was tell your kids "never touch my phone!".

Please forgive me if I am incorrect.

reply to post by calstorm


I don't think daddy has to hide a 225 dollar purchase from wifey.

According to the story, he was allegedly already logged in to the site since he was looking for some other purchases. This type of stuff can easily happen. I did tech support for a telecommunications company when I was younger and this type of stuff happens more than you would imagine. But of course you have the liars who did it themselves and blame their kids....trust me I have seen quite a few of those.

Do it up for her 16th birthday?
Hmm.. by the time she's 16 fuel will be $500 per gallon and insurance will be equivalent to a house mortgage and she'll probably get a ticket for not having a roof

Am I the only one that caught that he wondered how he was going to afford this $225 car, yet he was looking at a $38,000 Porsche?

Plenty of toy phones for toddlers man....a $400 Smart Phone is NOT one of them.....

not really sure how i posted on this thread.. wtf

reply to post by freedomSlave


LOL...glitch in the matrix?

no left the computer for a few minutes think my daughter (whos 4 ) was messing around on the computer and brought me to a new thread and i just clicked reply ..



how Ironic lol.
Moral is don't trust kids around electronics

ETA haven't seen you around much .. I liked your threads

This is why you don't let kids play with your phone. It's not a toy!!

My son is always trying to get my phone and I won't let him have. I tell him "no it's not a toy." I then hand him his own toy phone.

I see so many parents with broken phones complaining about the phone being broke but when you ask WHY it's because their kid had it. Well simple, don't give it to your kid! My son pitches a fit when I won't give him my phone but he gets over it in a couple mins and moves on to something else.

I saw an article recently where parents were held accountable because their 2yr old had called the police a ridiculous amount of times in one month. Why? Because she was playing on the phone! It can be on lock and you can still call emergency at least on my phone you can. It will have the lock screen but at the bottom it says emergency and if you push it goes to the call screen and all you have to do it hit the button and it calls 911.

reply to post by freedomSlave


LOL, it's amazing what can happen if you turn your eyes for just a few seconds...at least she didn't get your account deleted or something like that

As for not being around much I have been very busy and too exhausted to post much but I have been around a bite more the last week or so.

Sorry for the late response and it's good to hear from you my friend.