17 year old runaway turning 18

I turn 18 on Monday would I get in trouble for leaving sunday

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. Running away is a big decision and we are glad that you decided to reach out to us.
We are not legal experts but we do have some information on the laws. If you were to runaway at 17, because you would still be considered a minor it is a possibility that you could be brought back home. In some cases, the police may not take a runaway report when you are so close to being 18, but it is best to ask your local police department.
If you would like to talk further about your situation we are available to you 24/7. You can reach us by phone or email or by chat. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

i am 17 and i turn 18 in 4 months what happens if i runaway ?

[ccsmod2]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We’re sorry to hear that you’re in such a difficult situation with your parents. Please know that you do not deserve to be abused in any way. You deserve to feel safe and cared for in your own home. If you are ever interested in reporting the abuse, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), and we can assist you. We also are available for live chat through our website, www.1800RUNAWAY.org. You could also contact Childhelp, the National Child Abuse Reporting Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. They are trained to help young adults inexactly your situation. And, if you feel you are unsafe or in eminent danger, you can always call 911.

You say that you will turn 18 in 5 months. While you are still considered a minor, you could reach out to your local police department, anonymously, and ask how they might handle a runaway report for someone your age. This varies depending on local practices. We suggest this frequently, and the police are accustomed to answering these types of questions.

If you want to contact us, we can search for resources in your area, including legal services that might have more detailed information for your specific situation. We can also look for shelters or transitional living programs that might give you a safe place to go, if necessary. Your safety is very important to us here at NRS.

You can contact us anytime; our phone and chat lines are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. We are here to listen and here to help. We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,

NRS

hey im 17 and i will be 18 in 5 months iḿ on probation for running away i was gone for 2 years and they found me so now iḿ back with my abusive parents and i dont want to be at home no more i plan to go out of state. so if i stay gone till im 19 or 20 with me being on probation if i stay gone for 2 or 3 years will i still get punished by the courts.

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thanks so much for reaching out to us. We are so sorry to hear that the dynamics between you and your parents has been so difficult. It sounds like the most recent clash between you and your mom has made you consider running away to live with a friend, and you have some questions about the potential consequences.

We are not legal experts, but from what we understand, if you are considered a minor in your state and you leave without the consent of your parent or legal guardian, they can report you as a runaway to your local police department. How a runaway report is handled can vary from state to state, but they typically look anywhere a parent or legal guardian may believe a youth has gone, and if found, they would return the youth to the legal guardian or have the legal guardian pick the youth up. In some cases, anyone you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway or aiding and abetting a minor. The best way to confirm how local police would handle the situation, and potential consequences for the youth and/or anyone the youth stays with, is to reach out to your local police at their non-emergency number or a local legal aid agency. If you need help finding their contact information, would like to call them with some support from NRS, or even if you just want to talk about what is going on, we are here for you.

We cannot tell you what to do, but we will do our best to help you explore options that will help you stay safe as you decide your next steps. We are available 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929) via chat by visiting www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). We are here to listen, here to help. Stay safe!

-NRS

Im 17 turning 18 in February. My parents and I do not get along well and they never treat me with the respect I deserve. They expect me to do everything for them and my sister that I never have time to do my stuff. I got into a pretty bad argument with my mom and she is deciding to take off my door which is a total invasion of privacy. If I run away and live with a friend until I turn 18 what will happen? can my friend get in trouble? Will I get in trouble ?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are sorry to hear that you are going through a tough time, we want you to know we are here for you.
Wow it is impressive that you have your own business at age 17, that shows you are a hard worker and have a lot of dedication. It is not fair that your family is opening your mail and messing with your work machines. One option to consider is to talk with them about how this is making you feel and you would appreciate them not touching your stuff. If this has already been done and they are still doing it, you could try talking with the post office and see if you can get your mail sent to your school or if you can open up a private PO box.
We are not legal experts but we do have some information on what could happen if you were to leave home. Because you are a minor your legal guardian does have a right to file a runaway report. If the police were to find you it is a possibility that you could be brought back home. If you are not found and return once you are 18, since you would be considered an adult nothing would really happen. A runaway report typically goes away once you are found or once you turn 18.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck,
NRS

run away at 17 returning at 18


I'm currently going through some things with my family i am separated from my mom and my dads in jail i currently live with my grandma which is my dads mom and it just to much i was recently working but my grandma did not allow me so i came up with something else to do like work from home right now i have my own business i customize everything i make good money but somehow the still mess with me its gotten so bad where i lock myself in my room so they wont bother me now there opening my mail going in my room and messing with all my machine's all my work stuff they did not buy them. i go to school and im about to graduate but i cannot take this no more they always find something to talk mess to me about what would happen to me if i runaway and dont return till 18

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
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 forum 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).
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

I was wondering if I were to run away at 16 and not show back up until I was 18 if there would be any legal issues. Like let’s say that I run way and do not get caught by police or peace officers and I do not show back up until I am 18. Will I get in legal trouble? Will the people who housed me get in legal trouble after I am 18? For reference I live in Texas so I will be following those laws. Will I still be concidered a missing person after I turn 18? What will happen to the report if any is ever made after I turn 18? Will my school report me if I continue to attend even after running away?? Would I be safer dropping out and furthering my education after I turn 18?

[ccsmod0]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on with your friend. It seems there is a lot that she is faced with right now and she's feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws. You can pass along the information below to her.
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. Once a youth turns 18, they will likely no longer be considered a runaway and can make decisions where they want to live.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
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). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
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

So I have a really close friend that lives with her aunt and uncle. Her both parents have left her. She is 17 years old in texas and is soon to be 18 in around 7 months she works alot and goes to school and she has her priorities straight. She is having alot of issues at her house and she if trying to move out as soon as possible but cant wait till she is 18. What can happen to my friend if she moves out at 17 only 7 months away from being 18. What can happen if she turns 18? Can she still face consequences? Can she still get in trouble?

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you have questions about how runaway reports work and when you might no longer be considered a runaway.

We are not legal experts, but from what we understand, if you are considered a minor in your state, there is a possibility that whomever is your legal guardian may be able to file a runaway report with your local police department until you are a legal adult. What your local police decide to do with that report, and whether the fact that you are 17 changes what they do, is up to them. Typically, if your local police department takes the report and they locate you, they return you to your legal guardian or have your legal guardian pick you up. Regarding your second question about whether you are ‘cleared’ when you turn 18, it is true that, if in your state you are considered an adult at 18, your legal guardian cannot file a runaway report. In some states, either you or your legal guardian needs to reach out to local police if you become a legal adult while outside of your legal guardian’s care. To get more specific information on what your police department might do, it is a good idea to reach out to them at their non-emergency number to ask. We can help you find their contact information if you do not have it or don’t know how to find it. Just reach out to us.

We cannot tell you what to do, but we will do our best to help you stay safe with whatever you decide to do. If you would like to talk further, or would like help with resources that might support you, you can reach us 24/7 by phone at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929) or via chat by visiting our website at www.1800runaway.org. We are here to listen, here to help. Stay safe!
-NRS

Hey
What if your a runaway from a group home and dss and turn 17 the police can't really do anything right. Won't you be cleared at 18.