17 year old runaway turning 18

[Guest]

Im 17 and will be 18 in about a month. I live in arizona. I want to leave with out my parents knowledge because i feel as if i dont go now i will never be able to .. I also feel emotionally neglected where i am. And i just need to go.. What ld happen if i left?? Like with the cops what would they do

[ccsmod2]

Hi,

We are limited on our knowledge of laws since we are a national hotline, we don't know the laws for your particular area. In general as long as you are a minor in the eyes of the law, if you choose to run away you could be forced to go back. And if you are staying with someone that person could be charged with harboring a runaway. There's no way to know for sure what will happen, so if you would like more information on runaway laws in your town you can contact your local non emergency police.

NRS

[Guest]

hi im 17, I turn 18 in November, I am very unhappy with my living situation, I left a few nights ago and my brother told me my dad reported me, since im so close to 18 do I have to go home? Can they penalize my best friends mom for taking care of me?

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to NRS! It sounds like home life has been pretty tough lately. You mentioned that your dad reported you, we’re guessing you ran away. Running away isn’t illegal, so you can’t get arrested for it. However, we have heard people who help runaways and let them stay at their homes, being charged with harboring a runaway. Some police stations, don’t take runaway reports on 17 year olds since they’re close to being 18. However, were not legal experts to find out more information for your local police, you can call the non-emergency number question whether or not they accept runaway reports for 17 year olds. If you want help with calling, you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY and we can conference call with you and the police department. We also offer conference calling between youth and parents if you need help talking to your dad! Don’t hesitate to reach out, our safeline is open 24/7.
Stay safe, NRS

[Guest]

Hi I'm 17 about to turn 18 and can't be with my parents no more is there anyway I can leave now I already have good living arrangements and I am very mature

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out to NRS! We appreciate you sharing a bit about the situation with your parents.
It sounds like you’re wanting to move out of your parents house and you’re currently 17. We’re not sure how soon you turn 18, but as soon as you do, you will be a legal adult. As an 18 year old, you can decide where you want to live, which means you can move out of your parent’s house. You mentioned that you have living arrangements waiting for you, which is great!
We also offer conference calling between youth and parents if you need help talking to your parents! Don’t hesitate to reach out, our safeline is open 24/7.
Stay safe, NRS

[Guest]

Im going through a hard tim i have a step father who cares and loves for me and my siblings but my mom cheated on him with a lesbian and there married and my mother cheated on him i never got along with my mom but with my step dad i did and i live in michigan but i wanna runaway to mexico can i runaway to mexico

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like a lot has been going on at home that can be stressful. We are more than happy to help answer your questions.

In the state of Michigan, you are considered a minor if you are under 18 years of age. We are not legal experts at the National Runaway Safeline, but this means if you were to runaway to Mexico, your mom and/or stepfather could file a missing person’s report. If you were found living with someone else, they could be charged with harboring a runaway.

Another option could be a conference call with your mom, stepfather or both. Sometimes it helps to have another voice in a conversation to help explore feelings and mediate the conversation. With that said we do offer a conference call with your parent(s), yourself and an NRS liner. The goal of the conference call is to explore feelings and options. The NRS liner’s role is to be the mediator during the call and clearly define terms moving forward and hopefully generate a solution.

These are just a few options we could explore. We would be more than happy to talk with you about these options or further about how you are feeling. We are a 24/7 hotline and always here to help.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

Im 17 and m turning 18 in two months my bf and i want a baby he has money and hes 19...if i get caught getting pregnant now could she abort the baby if im turning 18 in two months can i call the cops for beating me or mistreating me when kicking me out. Di i have to put up with the stress when my bday is two months away....i think its not fair to lose my baby when i know i can make it....i have family and friends and hes legally resposible for the baby and i have homeless shelters to go to im planning to join the military...and i want a baby when im young my expensise arent alot ..i want to grow old with my kids

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out. Sounds like you and your boyfriend are wanting to have a baby, but you are worried about your mom beating you, kicking you out, or aborting your baby. That sounds so scary and stressful. You so do not deserve to be harmed in anyway. It is illegal for your mom to force you to abort your baby, even when you are a minor. Please call 911 if you are pregnant and she does attempt to harm you. Yes, you can call 911 whenever you are feeling unsafe and if your mom beats you. You can also call child protective services, if your mom kicks you our or harms you in anyway before you become a legal adult. After you turn 18, it becomes legal for her to kick you out, but you can still report her for doing so while you are a minor. Also, if you haven’t already, you might double-check that 18 is your state’s majority age (the age you become a legal adult), because a handful of states have older majority ages. Here is a helpful website where you can see your state’s majority age and pregnancy rights for minors: https://sexetc.org/action-center/sex-in-the-states/.

If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, you might think about the things you will need since you mentioned that your expenses aren’t a lot. Healthcare throughout your pregnancy is very important, you might look into how you will get prenatal care now; www.plannedparenthood.org is a great resource for reproductive health services or information. You mentioned that you have homeless shelters you can go to. You might plan out permanent housing for you and your baby, so that you all can live in a stable environment. If your boyfriend does not have enough money to support you all and pay rent somewhere, you might think about what income you need to support your family, and plan for that. You mentioned having friends and family that you can turn to, which is awesome! You might ask around to see if anyone is looking for a roommate or has spare room in their house to keep your costs down. It sounds like you have a great goal of entering into the military. You might also plan for how you all are going to take care of your baby, if you are unable to be around due to being in the armed forces.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to talk over your situation or are in need of support. We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

So I'm 17 going to be 18 in two months and I left home could I be in trouble when I turn 18

[ccsmod6]

Hi!

Thank for taking the time to reach out to us today.

Normally when you leave home before the age of 18 you would be considered a runaway. Running away is not illegal but it is considered a status offense. What this means is that you won't be arrested for running away, but your parents could file a runaway report for you with the police and the police would be looking for you. If the police found you they would take you back home. It would not go on your permanent record and you would not get arrested. If there is any abuse going on at home you can tell the police about it if you feel comfortable doing so, and they would likely get into contact with child protective services for you.

You did mention that you were 17, so it's important to note that sometimes some police departments do not take runaway reports for 17 year olds. This differs from police department to police department though, so you may have to call your local police department and see what exactly they would do in your situation. If they do not take runaway reports for 17 year olds your parents would not be able to get the police department involved if you left home.

You cannot get into trouble at 18 for having left when you were under 18.

If you've got any more questions please feel free to reach out to us again! We are 24/7 so someone will always be here to answer and help in the best way we can!

[Guest]

Hi I'm 17 and will be 18 in about 10 months

i don't live in a very good environment...I get yelled at 24/7 for being depressed and very hurt! My dad kicked me out so now I live with my mom and it's not good here! And I'm planning on running away until I turn 18 but will I get in lawful trouble if I don't get caught till I'm 18? I'm from utah!

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hi I'm 17 and will be 18 in about 10 months


Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

We appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.
Some situations can be disappointing and even upsetting thus making things uncertain about what to do or where to turn.
We understand and we want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
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.

If you would like to talk more in detail about your current situation please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello i just got a desturping the peace charge and i can gett commeted if i mess up again ig i run away tell im 18 and come back home well i uave to face thoes charges when i get back home

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you got a disturbing the peace charge, and you are wondering if you could runaway until you are 18 and then have it expunged.

We are not legal experts so we cannot answer your question with certainty; especially because laws change state-by-state. Typically, if you are charged as a juvenile it would not stay go on your criminal record or you could expunge it. However, if you avoid your court date we do not know if that means you could be charged as an adult or if you could be faced additional consequences at 18. While we are not legal experts, if you call or chat us we can direct you to local legal aid resources that could better answer your questions.

We look forward to hearing from you so we can give you those resources and best help. We are sorry we were unable to answer your question.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Hi im 16 and i just got a desturping the peace charges and im on probation my and if i do one more thing im going to commitment if i run away tell im 18 well i have to face all that stuff when i come back home

[ccsmod7]

Hello there! Please see our response to your similar post above (post #295).

Please call or chat us for legal resources!

-NRS

[Guest]

Im 17 turning 18 in 3 months. I ran away june 29th bc i wad tired of the verbal abuse and being forced to things i didnt wanna do. My dad kicked me out about 6 months ago anf made me live with my grandmother. Shr let me live with my uncle for a few months untill they tried getting custody of me. Them she made me go back to her home and i was miderable and wanted to kill myself. Can i get into trouble if i get caught before i turn 18. I live in florida.

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. It sounds really unfair that your grandmother is forcing you to go live with her after you were miserable in your care and your uncle tried to gain custody of you. It sounds like left home a couple months ago, and you were wondering what could happen if you were found before you turn 18.
It sounds like you were feeling like you might kill yourself if you stayed with your grandma. Here at NRS, we are concerned for you safety. Please reach out to us or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline if you are ever in need of support at 1-800-273-8255. Your life has infinite value and you deserve to be supported through this.
So your guardian has the right to file a runaway report for you if you leave home before you turn 18 in Florida. If your grandmother does not have custody of you, your dad might be the one who has to file that for you. Running away is typically more of a status offense, meaning something you cannot do due to your age, rather than being illegal. Typically if you are found by police after being filed as a runaway you would be returned home. Who could get in trouble is the legal adult you are staying with; they are at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway if you are found there. Sometimes local police handle 17 year old runaway cases, so you might call your local non-emergency police number and ask what their protocol is for 17 year old runaway youth.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like help brainstorming your options. You so deserve to be supported through this difficult time and we truly want to help. If you are in an unsafe place right now, please contact us so we can help you find a safe place. You might also reach out to www.nationalsafeplace.com if you ever need to. Your safety and wellbeing is our top priority.

Be safe and we wish you the best!

-NRS

[Guest]

I ran away from my guardian at age 17 in January 2017 and my probation officer put a warrant out on me . I turned 18 June 29th . And I called today and ask my Po did they dismiss my case because I payed my probation fine and he told me I was supposed to be off After I payed it . So he told me to come in Monday and I will have to go to court and he will tell the judge to dismiss it . He wanted me to come today but I have no rode there . Something don’t sound right about this . I feel like he is trying to detain me cause I ran away in January and he was suppose to detain me in January soooooo . I’m confused here

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I ran away from my guardian at age 17


Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

We appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.
Some situations can be confusing thus making things uncertain about what to do or where to turn.
If you are in question about your legal status perhaps you might consider seeking legal counsel about the situation. We do understand your apprehension.

We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or www.1800Runaway.org.

Again tell us what it is you would like us to help you with and we will be happy to explore some options with you.
NRS is here to listen and here to help.
We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 17 and i was curious will i get in trouble for running away from my group home if i am almost 18 . I will turn 18 in four month.

[ccsmod0]

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are having some issues at your group home and are considering running away. While we are not legal experts we not say what the laws are regarding running away. To our knowledge if you were to run away from your group home and had any interaction with the police they would return you to your group home.
Another option is to contact your social services case worker, you might let them know you are unhappy at your current placement. They might be able to find you a different placement. If you are being harmed at your placement you do have the right to report that abuse to child protective services. If that is your situation, you might reach out to Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 to learn more about what reporting could look like for you. If you would like to talk more about what is going on and your options you are more than welcome to give us a call any time.
We hope this information helps
Best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello,
I'm 17 rn and a junior in high school. I live with my step mother who is fine but my dad is freaking insane and hates me and is emotionally, verbally and physically abusive. I've developed insecurities and anxiety and struggle with self esteen because of him. I dont want to run away while still a minor; i want to move out the moment im 18. I dont think my parents will care whether or not i move out, seeing as how my dad told me that he wants me out of "his" house as soon as possible. Hoever, ill still have to be in school, and i doubt i can get a job that i can support myself with. I dont want to go live with a friend as i would be a burden, and im not dating anyone who would be able to rent a place with me. Is there a place that houses teens in situations like me that i may be able to live at for a year?

[ccsmod0]

Hello,
We know that you mentioned that you are not planning on leaving home before 18 but please keep in mind that you do not deserve to be mistreated abuse whether it’s physical, sexual, emotional or verbal, it is never okay and you do not deserve it and do have the right to report it. We want you to know that you do have the right to make a report with Child Protective Services. Child Help USA is an information and referral line that can connect you with your local CPS abuse hotline. That number is 1-800-422-4453. If you ever felt like making a report or needed help, we are here to assist with that. We understand that making an abuse report can be intimidating so if you like we can call together to provide support.
It is great that you are looking into your options for housing. The only places like the ones you have mentioned would be youth shelter. Since this is a public platform we cannot give you the information here but if you are able to call us we can look into that for you. You are special and people care about you. You deserve to be in a safe place where you feel safe. We want to give you as many options as possible so you can make the best decision for you. If you would like to talk more about what’s going on you are more than welcome to give us a call anytime 1-800-786-2929
Best wishes,
NRS