Im 16 and my parents are keeping me away from my child.

[Guest]

I am 16 years old living in winston-salem. Back in April i took my parents to court over emancipation and i lost. I was able to be in my sons life for a short amount of time but recently taken away from him because I told my parents i wanted to do online school. I miss my girlfriend and my son so much and havent seen them in weeks. My mom wont let me go see them. Is there anything I can do? Can i leave my house for a certain part of the day without permission? I am desperate and miss my family and i want to be with my som

[ccsmod10]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us your story. It sounds like you are going through a very difficult time right now and we hope to be able to help you. We can only imagine how hard it must be for you to be away from your family. We’re not legal experts here at NRS. Generally it’s not illegal to leave home, but your parents could file a runaway report, the police could get involved, and they could bring you home. The people you’re staying with could potentially get in trouble for harboring a runaway if your parents report you to the police. You could consider calling your local nonemergency police department to ask about their policies. We also have legal aid resources here if you have specific questions about the laws in your state.

One service we can offer is to conference call with your parents. This way you could have a conversation with your parents but you would not be alone. For example, it may be hard for you to explain to your parents how important it is for you to be in your son’s life and how being away from him is affecting you. Sometimes those conversations go better in a conference call because we can advocate for you. If you want to reach us, you can chat with us anytime at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We’re here 24/7, and we are ready to listen and help however we can.

Your son is so lucky to have someone who cares about him as much as you do,

wish you the best of luck.