17 year old runaway turning 18

[ccsmod15]

Re: Runaway

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you've tried to runaway before and know some of the consequences.

We are not legal experts so we cannot give specifics about what could happen legally. Your best option would be to call your local police and ask them in general what happens to minors when they runaway.

If you need additional resources or would like to talk further about your situation, we are here 24/7. Our line is confidential and anonymous at 1 800 RUNAWAY. We also have chat available 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST through our website at 1800runaway.org.

Best,

NRS

[Unregistered]

so many questions !!

Hi how are you . Im posting because i have alot of questions !! I had a friend in 9th grade that ran away . Well everybody thought she was kidnapped and a bunch of stuff and her parents and the police where looking for her so she is a Missing Person but she has recently contacted me !! She says she ok and that she ran away cause she was doing bad things like getting in trouble at school and hanging out with Wrong people !! So she ran away scared that her parents where going to punish her , her parents where really strict and i know it sounds wrong but in truth all of her friends where scared of herparents . They never let her go out or even use her fone or talk to boys or come visit one of us ! :-/ so that was like 4-5 years ago ! She says she got a job and shes been working with false i.d and she has a b.f and says she really happy with him and that shes scared her mom will do something to him ! And shes also scared because theres rumors that her mom is still soo mad that she ran away and never contacted her and that she would do anything to put my friend in jail ! Is that possible ?? What are the consequences if my friend went back home ?!! We all still miss her and want her to come back but shes afraid that her mom will do something to her bf and her ! She says her bf is really nice hardworking n he cares for her but with her moms rage shes worriedthat her mom does something aganist the boy. Do you know what can happen to my friend and her bf ?

[ccsmod9]

RE: so many questions !!

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at The National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like your friend is going through a tough time, and you sound very supportive. We appreciate you reaching out on her behalf. We're here to help in any way we can.

Unfortunately, we're not legal experts here at NRS. However, we can provide some general information on running away and turning 18. It sounds like your friend is now above the age of minority (which is usually under 18 in most states). At 18, she is no longer considered a runaway, and she may be able to call the police in her area and let them know that she is no longer "missing." Once 18, there are usually not any consequences for a runaway. Also at 18, she is no longer considered her parents' responsibility, and they probably cannot legally do anything to her or her boyfriend.

Do you think you or your friend would be willing to reach out to us to discuss this further? If so, you or she can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We're available on our Safeline 24/7. You can also chat with us by going to www.1800runaway.org and clicking the red live chat button. Chat is available from 4:30 to 11:30 pm Central time each evening. We hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks for contacting us,

NRS

[Unregistered]

RE: so many questions !!

Hi thank you for answering me . I talked to my friend and shes doubtful she wanted to be a cop so she kind of thinks what a police would do. She asked what if they trace they call or the chat and what if its not safe. Shesbeen thinking about hiring a lawyer because she says it sounds too easy just to call and say she not missing cause on the internet it says she has a detective on her case. She was wondering if maybe she could contact him and explain her situation to him?

[ccsmod3]

Re: so many questions !!

Hello again,

It sounds like your friend has legal concerns which is understandable. Good for her for having a goal of becoming a cop when she is older. As we said before we are not legal experts; however, contacting a lawyer is certainly an option. She could also contact the detective on her case. We just can't say for certain though how the local police will react. Your friend is also welcome to reach out to us should she wish. Our Live Chat is open every day from 4:30 to 11:30pm CST and is available by visiting here: http://www.1800runaway.org. Or, there is always our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) which is available 24/7. We hope it works out for her and she is able to stay safe!

-NRS

[Unregistered]

Hi, I am turning 17 soon, have a job, am a junior in high school, and have verbally abusive parents. Since I was young, I've always been made to do ridiculous, on the edge of illegal tasks. My parents have always told me I was ugly and lazy, as they did nothing. If I run away on my 17th birthday, what would, legally, happen if I returned on my 18th birthday? I've always been a "good girl" In school and have gotten in no trouble.

[ccsmod14]

Re:

Hey,

Thank you for contacting us at National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have been having a hard time at home with your parents at home and we are sorry to hear that. No one deserves any type of abuse no matter what.

It sounds like you are thinking about leaving home on your 17th birthday. We do not give advice here, because you know your situation better than we do. So we are not going to tell you that you should or should not leave your house, but what we will do is try our best to help you stay safe in any decision that you make.

We are not legal experts here, but what we can tell you is that running away is not illegal. It is a status offense which is most similar to a parking ticket. If you leave home without your guardian’s permission, typically what happens is if they decide to make a runaway report, and the police find you, they just bring you back home. In most states, the legal age of an adult is 18, which means you would have the right at the age of 18 to call the local police department and let them know that you are no longer a runaway since you are of age. Do you have safe place in mind that you would go to when you left home? There are a few things that can be helpful to think about when deciding whether or not you are going to run away from home:

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?


Again, we are not legal experts but we also wanted to let you know that in some states, anyone that you stay with could potentially be charged with harboring a runaway. If you would like to find out more legal information, we would be glad to provide you with legal resources if you were to call into our hotline at 1 800 runaway or join us on chat through our website at 1800runaway.org from the hours of 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST. We are also here to help you work out a plan to keep you safe, or just listen if you want to talk. We are here to support you as much as we can. We are 24/7, anonymous and confidential at 1800 runaway (786 2929).
We wish you the best of luck and hope to hear from you again soon.

Stay safe,
NRS

[Unregistered]

I have a question

[ccsmod3]

Re: I have a question

Hello there,

We can answer basic questions and are here to listen and provide support. Feel free to reach out to our 24 hour hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or Live Chat through our website: http://www.1800runaway.org from the hours of 4:30pm to 11:30pm CST. Good luck!

-NRS

[john doe]

Too Much

Towards the beginning of the year my mother, after having full custody of me for a number of years, gave my father custody after a fall out we had. It was all good in the beginning, my father and his girlfriend were more than amazing but after a month or so of being back (when my mother gave custody up) things started to change. Again. Let me give you some background.

My mother was nineteen when pregnant with her first and unexpected but being the woman she is married my father so she could have the right kind of family. Growing up and being the youngest of three I quickly learned to fear my father. He drank heavily and beat us for the slightest thing. He wouldn't even claim my middle sister as his own and began to mistreat her. Both of my sisters are out of the house and have been. Four or five years ago my family went through a horrific divorce. It destroyed me physically and emotionally. I starved myself and cut myself for years. I have no concept of trust after finding out everything I have. In the last few years I've also learned my father is schizophrenic which would explain the abuse in my earlier life.

Anyway things were normal for awhile, I got a summer job working third shift and online school so it doesn't interfere. Since my sleep schedule is the way it is I tend to hang out continuously with the same neighbor literally fifty feet away. My father was unsure at first but became okay with them idea but being schizophrenic sends mixed signals just about on a daily basis. I suffer from a depression and body dysmorphia. They make it worse, constantly mentally and verbally abuse me and over time its given me suicidal thoughts. They have totally ruined my self esteem. I don't know what to do anymore. I've tried o talk to him and explain I'm not trying to attack him but he always throws stuff in my face. He tries so hard to controlled me but all he is doing is driving me insane. He has always been physically there but not emotionally. I only have two months before Iturn eighteen and even less until I graduate. How hard would the police look if I left? I can't take it here anymore. Its become all too much. Thank you for your time

[ccsmod4]

RE: Too much

Hello,
Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you have lived through some trying emotional experiences with your family.
You have battled to keep a perspective for the future and that is an amazing feat. Good for you.
We understand that you feel that things are at a point where you are thinking about leaving your father's home. If you left home do you have a plan as to where you will stay?
We cannot say in what manner the police might handle your situation if you left home.
You might consider contacting the police through their non emergency number as to inquire if someone your age but so close to eighteen would be considered a runaway?
Some people might have reservations about contacting the police so in that case one might consider a legal aid source in your area.

You are welcome to call 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) for possible information/referrals in your area.
You can also get in touch with NRS via our live chat service at www.1800Runaway.org
Does that make sense?

We do appreciate you reaching out to express your feelings about the circumstances to which you find yourself in. We hope you continue to find positive outlets to help you cope with everything.

Thank you again for contacting NRS.
Take Care

[john doe]

Too Much

I do, in fact, have a few very stable and emotionally supportive places to stay. Its just not okay anymore and becomes more and more frustrating. I have done nothing but try to make things better between the three of us but gave up after months of no effort from either of them. Thank you so much for your input and support. I'm grateful. You're doing a great thing here.Its nice to know there is still a safe place for teenagers to go.

[ccsmod13]

Re:too much

Hello,
Thank you for your response. We understand that this must be a frustrating situation you are in. It sounds like you are trying to find some common ground in order to make these next few months go smoothly. We are here to listen and support you. We are confidential and anonymous. Please feel free to call us at any time ( 1-800-786-2929) or contact us through our chat system ( 4:30-11:30pm CST) through our website (www.1800runaway.org) so we can help make sure you are safe and know your options. We want what is best for you. Good luck.


-NRS

[Unregistered]

17 on the run

I'm 17 I live in west Virginia and I'm 8 months from being 18 and I'm in the states custody I was in a program at school called the optional pathway so I could graduate this year but then they tried to send me off and my brother and sister are also in states custody but they get to live with there dads but I can't cause I never known mine or where he's at. I was wondering if I run till I'm 18 can they charge me for running away after I'm 18 and well I was almost recently caught by the cops but I got away and I plan on going out of state can they get me if I leave state

[ccsmod3]

Re: 17 on the run

Hello,

It sounds like you're having a difficult time waiting until 18 and we're glad you reached out. We aren't legal experts; however, we can go over what might happen. It seems like two of your top concerns are what will happen if you run away once you turn 18 and whether the cops can get you if you leave the state. When a minor is filed as a runaway/missing juvenile, typically the police would enter them into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center.) So, it doesn't necessarily matter which city/state you were filed. In most cases once you are turn 18, you are automatically considered a legal adult. However, you may still need to call the police to let them know you are safe and no longer a runaway.

Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat which is open every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST and can be accessed here: http://www.nrschat.org:88/chat/UserP...&d=&u=&bypass=



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