17 year old runaway turning 18

[Unregistered]

can I be in trouble?

What are the Florida state laws? My girlfriend does not like being with her crazy mother. She uses her and takes her for granted. She turns 18 6-7 months from now. If she runs away and have her live with me but she doesn't show up when the cops come what would happen? Her mom would not be giving her permission to be with me but know that she is safe and with me as well as the cops know too. At that point she is a runaway? can I get in trouble for that? Being caught with her? Do they stop trying to find her after a while and give up on trying to bring her home?

[ccsmod3]

Re: can I be in trouble?

Hello there,

We're glad you decided to reach out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have a lot of legal questions regarding what would happen if your girlfriend ran away to your home. We are not legal experts, but do have a general understanding of what tends to happen in runaway situations. However, the only way to know for sure would be to contact local law enforcement or a lawyer/legal aid.

Running away is normally just a status offense; however, harboring a runaway is often considered a crime. If your girlfriend leaves without permission, her mom may decide to file her as a runaway. Runaway reports generally get entered into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center). How much action police take after that though may vary. Some police actively look while other departments come across runaways in other instances such as truancy, traffic violation, other crimes, etc. We are here to discuss your girlfriend's situation in more detail. If we know the exact city or town, we can even offer to look up resources like the non-emergency police or sheriff's department as well as legal aid.

We can be reached directly either by calling us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929.) Or, if you prefer online communication we have Live Chat every evening from 4:30 to 11:30pm CST. All you have to do is click on the red Live Chat button on our homepage, http://www.1800runaway.org. Good luck!

-NRS

[ixdontxcarexxx]

harbouring runaway

Hi I have a girlfriend who is 16 she'll be 17 June 10th and she lives in New York. She is wanting to runaway and come live with me in North Carolina. The question is can I be charged I am 19 she is willing to run away and I'm willing to take her in please respond asap...

[ccsmod6]

RE: harbouring runaway

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It seems that you want to know if your girlfriend can leave at 16 without getting herself or anyone else into trouble. The answer to that question will depend on the city and state she is located in. In some states and in even certain counties, youth are able to legally move out of their homes at the age of 17 despite the age of majority being 18. In the state of New York, 18 is the age of majority.

If she is unable to legally move out until the age of 18 in New York, then her parents still have the right to file her as a runaway. If a runaway report is filed, charges can be filed against someone suspected of abiding or harboring a runaway. To determine if she can legally move out at 17, she can try contacting her local police nonemergency hotline. If a runaway can be filed for her, then there is a possibility that anyone assisting her have charges filed against them. How likely will the charges hold up in court is another question and unfortunately we do not know

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be reached by dialing 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Our hotline is confidential, anonymous, and toll-free. In addition to our hotline, you can receive live assistance via CHAT between 4:30pm and 11:30pm.

Best Wishes
~NRS

[Unregistered]

In the state of Arizona if a 17 year old runs away how many months till they turn 18 till the cops can't do anything about it?

[ccsmod13]

RE:

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It seems like you have a question about age guidelines and running away. If you are under the age of 18, your legal guardian(s) can file a runaway report and the police are about to bring you back to them. It is not against the law to runaway and should not face legal consequences for simply running away. However, any adult you are staying that is aware of a runaway report being filed may be charged with harboring a runaway. As soon as you turn 18, you are able live wherever you like without requiring the permission of a guardian. If you have more legal questions that needed to be answered, you can call Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453.

You can also call us if you would like to speak more about your situation or have more questions. We are available 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY or you can chat with us from 4:30pm-11:30pm at www.1800runaway.org. We wish you the best of luck and do not hesitate to call us in the future.

Best,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Im 18 and want to leave home

I'm leaving home soon and i have almost everything figured out. I'll be living with my boyfriend who's 21 (i'm 18 and will turn 19 this month). My family is very controlling and there are a lot of problems i'd rather not go into, they have my social security number and birth certificate locked and hidden, the only thing i have is my ID, but my bofriend told me that i can request my birth certificate and my security number. I know once my family knows i left (even if i leave a note or call them to tell them i wanted to leave) they're going to file a missing person report, so my question is: Should i go talk to the police and inform them i'm leaving and my family will probably file a missing person report? So that they know that they don't have to look for me since i'm leaving because i chose to. I live in texas, thankyou.

[ccsmod14]

Re: Im 18 and want to leave home

Hi there,

Thank you so much for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have been having trouble with your family and we are sorry to hear that you have been going through this difficult time. We are not legal experts here, so some of your questions we unfortunately cannot answer but we can try to provide you with as much information that we have regarding your situation.
In most states, the legal age of an adult is 18 but in some it differs by a few years. This website is a great one to reference regarding the age of minority in your state, https://sexetc.org/states/texas.
It sounds like you have a plan in place about leaving home. We do not give advice here at National Runaway Safeline, we just try our best to remind you of all your options and make sure that you are staying safe in whatever you decide to do. It sounds like your boyfriend has been giving you support through this and that is good to hear. It sounds like that would be a safe place for you to stay. Have you thought at all about what you would do if down the road this living situation no longer was working out?
It sounds like you are worried about what your parents might do regarding filing a report, which is an understandable concern. One option you always have is calling your local police department to ask any questions that you have in order to get the most accurate information regarding your specific location, which it sounds like you have already thought about doing. If you want to talk more about what has been going on, or more about the options that you have you can always join us on chat from 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST through our website, 1800runaway.org or call in any time to our 24/7, anonymous and confidential hotline at 1 800 RUNAWAY (786 2929).
We wish you luck with everything,
NRS

[Unregistered]

17 and pregnant

I am 17 turning 18 in 8 months. My parents are trying to send me back to jamaica even thou I am a greencard holder. Going back to jamaica means that me and my unborn child will suffer. I am planning to runaway to somewhere they can't find me. The only identification I have is my drivers permit. I am wondering what will happen when I leave and if I could get in serious Trouble with the law? Please help me ASAP.... I need to know this before tomorrow

[ccsmod14]

Re: 17 and pregnant

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you have been having a rough time lately with your parents. That has got to be a difficult thing to deal with.
We want to let you know that running away is not illegal, it is a status offense. This means that if your guardians make a runaway report with the local police department, and the police find you, they just bring you back home. We are not legal experts by any means, so if you need more legal information regarding your situation we can always find you legal resources locally that can help you further. Another option that you have is to call your local police department, the nonemergency line, and ask any questions that you have in a hypothetical way. Some people are not always comfortable with this option because it can be intimidating, which is why we offer conference calling here at National Runaway Safeline. If you were to call into our 24/7, anonymous and confidential hotline at 1 800 RUNAWAY (786 2929), then we could make the call with you so that you have us on the line to advocate on your behalf.
You shared with us that you are pregnant. Have you thought about if you were to leave, what you would do as far as food and care for yourself and your unborn child? We have a large database here at NRS, filled with various different resources all over the USA. It sounds like you are really thinking about leaving home and need a safe place to go. We want to let you know that you can call us any time, and we can try our best to find you a shelter that is close to you.
We do not tell youth what to do, because you know your situation better than we do. We just try our best to remind you of every option that you have, and make sure that you are safe in whatever you decide to do. There are a few questions that might be helpful to think about while deciding what your next move will be:
What else can I do to improve my home situation before I leave?
What would make me stay at home?
How will I survive?
Is running away safe?
Who can I count on to help me?
Am I being realistic?
Have I given this enough thought?
What are my other options?
If I end up in trouble, who will I call?
When I return home, what will happen?

If you would like to discuss your situation further, you can call us any time at 1 800 RUNAWAY, or join us on chat from the hours of 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST. We hope to hear from you soon.
Stay safe,
NRS

[Unregistered]

17 mentally abused but mentally unstable

Hi im 17 years old and live in NC . I have been diagnosed with bipolar , depression and anxiety. Ive been involved with the police many times for running away as a minor . Ive been to several councilors and an on medication. Im adopted from Guatemala . I live with my parents who are much older they're retired and just not full of life . They are very mentally abusive and my father drinks not a lot but enough that he gets very angry swears and fights with my mom over stupid things . Being around a drunk and an unstable mother who bullys me telling me im not going to amount to anything isnt healthy for me. Ive tried moving out to live with friends or even family member but because im bipolar none of my family will take me in and because my mother wont give consent for me to move out to live with a friend i feel very stuck. Ive tried to run away many times but my parents have called the police and theyve found me on the side of the road an have retuned me home. The only reasons ive run away is because my parents will argue with me and tell me to run away or to move out so i do exactly what they tell me but they call the cops and blame it on me being bipolar. I feel so trapped that many times ive tried to kill myself and have ended up in the hospital . I have many people who would let me live with them , i want a job but my parents wont let me work. I want to get emancipated but i was told by my mom i cant because im bipolar and theyd testify it as im bipolar and wont give me consent . I just want to move out for it would be best for both of us but it seems impossible . To me my only ways out right now are running away or suicide . I just want to live on my own get a job and take responsibility as my self during my senior year . Im wondering if foster care would be an option but i dont want to go back home and i want to stay local so i can finish my senior year off stress free in the school i am in now . Please help i feel so trapped

[Unregistered]

hey

Can I get in trouble if I leave home? I am 17. I'll be 18 in March. I want to leave a month before my birthday. I live in alabama. I want to leave to go to California. I already have a place to go. But once I turn 18 or during that month I am gone. Will I get in trouble? If so, will I still get in trouble by the time I turn 18??

[ccsmod14]

Re: hey

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us at NRS. It sounds like you are going through a difficult situation. We are not legal experts, however, each city varies regarding leaving home at age 17 vs. 18. You can always call your city's non-emergency police number and ask if you will get in trouble if you are leaving before age 18.

Usually, if a runaway report is made and they do not find you, you can call into the police department and identify yourself once you are the legal age of an adult just to let them know that you are not a missing person.

If you would like to explore other options you can always call us. We are here to help you in any way we can.
You can call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY if you have more questions, concerns, or are simply in need of some support while you're exploring your options. Also, you can chat with us at [url]www.1800runaway.org during the hours of 4:30pm-11:30pm CST. We wish you the best of luck.

-NRS

[ccsmod14]

Re: 17 mentally abused but mentally stable

Hey,

Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you have been going through a lot. It’s got to be really hard to be feeling trapped the way that you do, and your feelings are understandable. It also sounds like you have really been exploring a lot of options and nothing seems to be working out, which has got to be frustrating. We are here to help you out as much as we can.

You mentioned thoughts about suicide. We want to first give you the number for National Suicide Hotline. They are available 24/7, just like us and can help you any time that you are having these thoughts. The number is 1 800 273 TALK (8225). It sounds like you have been having these thoughts pretty often, what helps you through them? Do you have any friends or family that you trust to talk to about this?

You said that you have run away before, because your parents told you to but then they call the police after you leave. This sounds like it has to be very frustrating. We want to let you know that it is actually illegal to kick a minor out of the house without providing them a safe alternative place to stay. If this situation were to occur again, one option you have is to either; 1.call your local police department and explain what has happened or 2. Call Child Protective Services to report the incident. The Child Abuse Reporting hotline for North Carolina is (800) 422 4453.
You mentioned wanting to get emancipated, but that your mom would testify that you are bipolar. We are not legal experts here, but we can direct you to a resource that can provide you more legal help regarding the possibility of emancipation if you would like it: Legal Aid of North Carolina (333) 725 9166, or (800) 660 6663.

You said that you are wondering if foster care is an option, but that you would want to stay local. We are not sure if this would be a possibility or not because Child Protective Services and/or the state are the people that make decisions regarding foster care.

If you would like to talk more specifically about your situation, work through options or simply just talk, we are here 24/7. Our line is confidential and anonymous at 1 800 RUNAWAY. It sounds like you have been dealing with a lot and we want to help you in any way that we can. We also have chat available 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST through our website at 1800runaway.org if you would prefer talking online.

We wish you the best of luck with everything, and hope to talk to you soon.

Stay safe,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Runaway

I'm 15 and considering to runaway. I do have a place to stay but I was wondering if I come back home at 18..will I be in any legal trouble? I have attempted to leave my house but was caught n bought back home with a warning and was put on curfew. Any trouble I get in until I'm 17 will get me 2 weeks of juvy