$router->group(['prefix' => 'api', 'namespace' => 'API'], function
  () use ($router) {
    /* Check Ins */
    $router->post('checkin', 'CheckInController@store');

   /* Payment Status */
   $router->get('payments/status', 'PaymentStatusController@index');

   /* Vehicle Categories */
    $router->get('vehicles/categories',
   'VehicleCategoryController@index');

    /* Parking Areas */
    $router->get('parking/areas', 'ParkingAreaController@index');

    /* Parking Types*/
    $router->get('parking/types', 'ParkingTypeController@index');

    /* Vehicles */
    $router->get('vehicles', 'VehicleController@index');
    $router->get('vehicles/{vehicleRegistrationNumber}',
    'VehicleController@show');
});
// Above are the routes
// Mutator on my model
public function setParkingStartTimeAttribute($value)
{
    $this->attributes['parking_start_time'] =
    Carbon::createFromFormat($value);
}
// Action in Controller
public function store(Request $request)
{
    $this->validateCheckInRequest($request);
    $parkingStartTime = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s',
    $request->parking_start_time);

    return response()->json($parkingStartTime); // for testing purposes when i return this it gives me the result below
    $checkIn = CheckIn::create($request->all());
    return new CheckInCollection($checkIn);
}

// Result given when i return the parking_start_time
{
  "date": "-0001-11-30 21:27:00.000000",
  "timezone_type": 3,
  "timezone": "UTC"
}

$parkingStartTime = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $request->parking_start_time);

$parkingStartTime = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $request->parking_start_time)->toDateTimeString();

public function setParkingStartTimeAttribute($value)
{
  return Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $value);
}