Can I but sent back home if I run away?

[Unregistered]

I am 14 and have had this plan to run away for over a month now. I will be staying with a friend and her family.

My family doesn't treat me the greatest. It is mostly my siblings. My brother grabbed my arm and threw me into the wall, saying he was God. My sister trashed my room and told me to clean it up. I weigh the least and I'm not even the youngest, yet somehow I'm the fat. I even get beat and abused.

So I am leaving no matter what. But last year when my cousin ran away, I remember having a conversation with a friend. He works with like cops and stuff. He told me that the hunt starts in 3 days. They can use tranqs and everything. He said that once he finds them he puts them in a straight jacket and sends them to a foster home for 90 days.

I am fine with the foster home. I just don't want to live with these people anymore. But is it possible for my parents to bring me back home? Like, request to have me taken out of the foster home and brought back to them?

[ccsmod5]

re: Can I but sent back home if I run away?

Hey there,

Thank you for being able to reach out to us, it seems like you are going through a pretty tough time at this point in your life and we want you to know that we are here to listen and to help in the best way that we can. It definitely sounds like you have been through quite a tough time and we want you to know that you definitely have options.

You mentioned that you have been getting “beat and abused,” just so you know, in most states you would be able to file a child abuse report. Have you considered filing an abuse report? It can definitely be something scary to think about, but if you are feeling mistreated, it can definitely be an option. If you would like to talk to someone a little more thoroughly or to get a better understanding of what a child abuse report is, please feel free to reach out to Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453. They have child abuse counselors available 24/7 and are willing to talk to you about what you can do.

We are not legal experts here, which means that we would not be able to accurately tell you what would exactly happen if you were to leave home. But we are able to speak generally about your situation. In most states, because you are a minor, your parents could file a runaway report. If a runaway report is filed and you were found, you would typically be forced to go back home. Another thing that we do want to make you aware of is that most states also have a law named “harboring a runaway” meaning that the people who are letting you stay with them could be charged, the charges for that can vary from fines to jail time. As we mentioned earlier, we are not legal experts here, if you would want to know more accurately of what might happen, you are always able to reach out to your local police department and ask some general questions.

We hope that we were able to address your situation a little further and let you know a little more about what we do. We are here to listen and to help in the best way we can, 24/7. Our hotline number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We also have alive chat service which is available every day from 4:30 PM until 11:30 PM CST. We wish you the best of luck and hope everything goes well.

Stay strong,

NRS