17 year old runaway turning 18

If a 17 year old were to runaway and not be found until the age of 18 what can the law do about it, in South Carolina?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there,
Thank you so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time at home. Know that you deserve to feel happy where you live.

You mentioned wanting to run away. Running away is a status offense, not a crime, meaning illegal because of your age. If you run away, your parents have the option to file a runaway report. The police would be able to look for you once the runaway report is filed. If you are found, the police would likely send you back home and, if you were staying with friends, charge them with harboring a runaway. While running away is not a crime, harboring a runaway is. Know that we are not legal experts and laws vary across states and situations so one way to gauge your rights is to reach out to the police with hypothetical and anonymous questions.

Another option you have is to file for emancipation. If you have a stable job and means to support yourself, you could be eligible to file. Though the process can be long and expensive, youth who win the case are granted full rights of an adult.

We are always here to talk at 1-800-RUNAWAY. On a phone call, we would be able to explore more regionally-specific and situation-specific options in depth. Our lines are open 24/7 and we are toll free and confidential.

Stay strong,

NRS

Hi, I'm 17 years old and in 9 months i will be 18 years old and i was wanting to move out of home. My parents and I just don't get along im always/most of the time, gone and my parents take offence of that. We just dont get along to well but anyway can i be charged as a runaway or will i get in any trouble?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out, we know that it takes a lot of bravery to do so. We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if you do opt to leave your home your parents (or whoever is your guardian) can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor (in the majority of states that's anyone under the age of 1. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned home. If you are already a legal adult and you choose to leave home someone can contact the authorities and request a wellness check. If a wellness check is requested then a police officer would check to ensure that you are not in any immediate danger and then leave you alone.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

Do cops stop looking after you turn 18?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. You asked some really great questions. Although we are not legal experts, we can share some general information with you about runaway laws. Running away is not illegal, so you have not committed a crime by leaving home before you turn 18. Once you are 18 you are no longer considered a runaway. If you call your parents to let them know that you are safe, there would not be any consequences. It might also be a good idea to check in with them to ask if they reported you as a runaway and if yes, ask if they can call the police department to notify them that you are no longer a runaway.

Do not hesitate to reach out anytime (800-786-2929 ; 1800runaway.org) if you have any other questions or concerns.

Be safe,
NRS

I’ve been a runaway for over a year now. My 18th birthday is in a couple of months and I was wondering what happens when I turn 18. Can I call my parents and tell them I’m fine and move on with my life? Is there any consequences for running away after I’m 18?

[ccsmod4]

I’m 17 and I left to go hangout with a friend...

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We are not legal experts so we can only speak in general. Once a report is filed with the police, a runaway may be detained and returned home to their parent or guardian. Running away is not considered a criminal act but a status offense with the report being removed once the runaway is recovered.
However you should note that anyone considered to be aiding or harboring someone that has been reported as a runaway could face legal charges.
You may get more information about the runaway laws in your state by contacting the non-emergency number to your local police department.
Hours are most likely normal business hours 9am-to 5pm.
You can usually find the non-emergency number online.

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
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); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

Take care,
NRS

I’m 17 and I left to go hangout with a friend one night and went to school the next morning and my parents flipped out and had me arrested as a runaway at school and wanted to say I was with my ex-boyfriend who is 20 and his sister who is 18 is one of my close friends and I still hang out with her what should I expect in court.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you are living in a really stressful environment and are looking to leave as soon as you can. We are not legal experts, but the age of adulthood in most states in 18, so your parents can ask you to leave at that age and you can legally leave without getting into trouble.

As far as leaving before 18, that could be trickier depending on the local police. Your parents could potentially file a runaway report which let's the police know you are gone. You may consider whether or not they would do that, since it sounds like they are asking you to leave soon anyway. If they do, some police take the report and some don't since you are so close to 18. You can call your local police and ask anonymously how they handle runaway reports. Find the local emergency number here:https://www.usacops.com/

We can also help you figure out a safe place to stay so if you need information on shelters or additional services, please reach out via phone or live chat and we can help you directly! We are 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 and at our live chat at the top of this website,

Thanks again for posting and best of luck!

Moving out/looking for a place to live at 17
So i turn 18 in a month and a half (its July and my birthday is august 16), and I've repeatedly been told "you have until august 16 to find a place to live" and "get up and start working on a place to go" will I get in trouble for leaving having been told these things? I have pictures and screenshots of it all if that helps my case any.
I want to move out asap due to never being able to leave besides work and i constantly get in trouble for things I haven't done. and i often only eat once a day due to strict time allowances for eating times and not knowing when i can leave my room. they refuse to physically talk to me, it's always in form of letter or texts and i just can't do it anymore.

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out.

Sounds like you are in a tricky situation trying to move out 2 weeks before turning an 18.

Generally speaking, your guardians can attempt to report you as a runaway with local police. It is up to local police with whether or not they would accept the report. If they do accept the report they might take less action due to your age, like they might not actively look for you. If they are able to list you as a runaway and you turn 18 without being returned home, you can generally call your local police at that time and be taken off the runaway list.

We hope this information is helpful. Please call or chat us if you would like to talk more or if you would like help calling out to your local police. 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.180runaway.org.

Best,

NRS

Im 17 Turning 18 in 14 days can I get into trouble if I runaway now ?

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. It’s great that you’re researching all your options before making your next move. Although we’re not legal experts, technically you’re still a minor in TN before you turn 18 and would be considered a runaway. That just means the police have the right to bring you home. However, since you’re so close to 18, the police may not follow up on a runaway report given your age. If you feel comfortable, one idea is to call the non-emergency number of your local police department and asking them how they’d respond to a runaway report for a 17yo who is less than a week away from turning 18.
Something else to keep in mind is that the neighboring states of Mississippi and Alabama have higher ages of majority than TN (21 and 19, respectively) so if you’re planning to head to one of those states, you may still be considered a runaway even if you’re 18.
If you’d like to talk more about your situation, brainstorm some options, or find resources like shelters, we are here for you 24/7 at 1-800-286-2929.

Can I get in trouble for running away five days before my actual 18th birthday. I live in Tennessee.