17 year old runaway turning 18

when a runaway turns 18 do they have to turn their self in if they didn't get caught?

im 17 years old im now in mexico but left because i cut off my gps. If i stay till i turn 18 will i be able to go back to the U.S?

[ccsmod6]

Hi thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS! It sounds like you have a lot going on with your family and we are sorry to hear that. We are going to go over some general info since we aren’t legal experts but, if you have any other questions or want to talk about anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out over our online chat system or give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
Firstly, you don’t deserve to be treated with any disrespect. We are sorry to hear that your family has done so and that is very frustrating. You talked about leaving home, and we can definitely talk about that. Running away isn’t illegal per say but, rather something called a status offense. Meaning if you leave home under the age of adulthood, usually 18 in most US states, that your parents/guardians are still legally responsible for you until you turn 18. If you do leave home at 17, your parents can file something called a runaway report meaning they let the police know you have left home. The police will then have the discretion to look for you and if they find you they will return you home. Some police departments do not take runaway reports for 17 year olds that are close to turning 18 but there is a risk that they will so that is something to think about. We can always reach out to your local non-emergency police and ask their policies on runaway reports if you feel comfortable giving us a call.
You are always welcome to reach out to us as we are here 24/7. We can explore if leaving home is something you want to do or other legal options like emancipation, legal waiving of responsibility of a legal guardian/parents that does take some time and money. Please don’t hesitate to reach out because it seems like you have been through a lot and we really do care about you.
Best, NRS

Hi im 17 going to 18 in april. Im sick of my family. I feel like they treat me like ********. And i have done wrong but they hold it over my head. I have friends that are 19 that are more than willing to take me in. What will happen if i decided to go? i work and would be able support myself.

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out. Sounds like home is pretty verbally abusive and controlling so you are planning on running away for 2-3 months until you turn 18. You have a lot of great questions. Unfortunately, laws vary by state and police protocol can vary by jurisdiction and we are not legal experts, so we can only answer generally. You might be able to get more specific answers if you call your local non-emergency police number and speak anonymously to an officer.

18 years old is the age in Arizona where you legally become an adult and can leave home without permission. Since you are close to turning 18, it is up to local police with whether they would take a runaway report for you or if they would return you home if found. Typically, once you turn 18 you cannot get in trouble for previously being a runaway since it is a status offense due to your age rather than being illegal. It typically would not go on your permanent record.

If you do not currently have a job, one thing to keep in mind is that if you are listed as a runaway by your guardian, that is something that will come up on a background check if an employer asks for that.

Thanks again for contacting us with these questions. Please call or chat us if you have additional questions or if you need any support during this difficult time. We truly want to help.

Best,

NRS

[ccsmod6]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out. We are not legal experts, but we do have a lot of experience and information in this area. Because you are still a minor, if you leave home without your parent’s permission you will be considered a runaway, even if you think you are in no danger. Your friends could get in trouble if your parents decided to get lawyers involved and decided your friends were harboring a runaway. This is a lot of information, and if you want to talk more about it, feel free to call us at 1-800-786-2929.

Emotional abuse is never okay, and it is totally understandable that you would not want to deal with that anymore. If you feel that running away is the best option, it is important to think about it and the possibilities that go with it. Because you are so close to 18, some police might not follow through on your parent’s runaway report. However, that is not a guarantee. Another option is talking to your parents, which we could help facilitate through a conference call. We could be on the line with you and help advocate for you. It is totally okay if you don’t want to do this as well!

Feel free to call us or email us anytime if you want to talk more. We are here 24/7, to listen and help.

Hi, I am 17 going to turn 18 in early January. So if I run away, a runaway status will be filed and will continue to stay active until I am of legal age? Will there be any negative record or penalty of running away that will reflect when searching for jobs and work? I live in Phoenix, Arizona and I plan on working while also as a runaway to stay away from a very troubling and negative tormentor verbally and restrictively.

I'm 17 turning 18 in January which is 3 months away. I live with my mom and stepfather and each day it gets worse and worse. My mom keeps having these outbursts randomly that always end up with me being emotionally abused and most of the time pushed around. My stepdad is also no help and encourages my mother and sometimes takes part in the emotional abuse. Every day it gets worse and worse for me. I can't bear to stay at my home anymore, but my parents threatened to call the cops and report if I didn't come home. My several friends have offered to allow me to stay in their homes still I turn 18, but I don't want them to get in trouble with the law. If I keep switching in between each friend's house, can they still get in trouble even if it's just for a few days? Also, if I told my parents where I was going and was in no danger, could they still claim that I was a runaway and force the cops to bring me home?

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I am 17 turning 18 in 2 weeks.

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

Take care,
NRS

I am 17 turning 18 in 2 weeks. My mother and I argue alot due to the fact she found out I was pregnant. I don't want to put any stress on my baby and think leaving with my boyfriend is the best thing for me. I live in Arizona. Will I be charged with anything if I leave? Can you help?

[ccsmod0]

Hello, thank you for taking the time to write to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you want to know the soonest that you can move out of your parent’s house. While we are not legal expert’s o we can only speculate what could happen. To our knowledge the age of majority is 18 this means until day of 18 you have to obey where your guardians say you have to stay. As mentioned previously we are not the authority on runaway laws and regulations so if you want more definitive information we would encourage you to contact your local non-emergency police.
Again thank you for reaching out and we hope that you can gets the answers that you need. Also if you ever needed to talk about what is going on you are more than welcome to call us anytime 1-800-786-2929
Best wishes,
NRS

I am 17 and a junior in high school I was wondering when Is the soonest I could move out . I don’t turn 18 until August. I don’t want to get in much trouble

[ccsmod2]

Hello, thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are very concerned about your boyfriend, we are sure that he appreciates your support. Here at NRS we are not legal experts so unfortunately, we will not be able to say for sure how much time he will have to serve. You can reach out to your local court house for assistance. Please feel free to contact our 24 crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929) if you have any further questions.
-NRS

My boyfriend is in states custody and ran from a current facility he was in on July 25th and got caught the 16th of September. He turned 18 during his time of running and got charged with in state runaway. How long will he have to do?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are wanting to leave your grandma's due to your aunt and uncle. That seems like a really tough situation.

Running away is usually considering a status offense. Meaning that it is not illegal or something that could result in you going to jail, rather it is just something you cannot do due to your age and being a minor. If you are found by police after your guardian lists you as a runaway, you typically would be returned home not sent to juvi. Once you are 18, if you are considered a legal adult in your state you would not be returned home. If that is your plan, you might double-check that 18 is the majority age in your state, meaning it is the age that you are considered a legal adult.

These were great questions, if you have additional questions or would like to talk more about your situation please do not hesitate to reach out to us via chat or phone so we can best help. We truly want to support you through this, and encourage you to always keep our number in mind.

Be safe,

NRS