Crossing State Lines

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen to support. It sounds like you're facing a really hard decision because your whole life is in Oregon and you want to get out of a neglectful household. It takes a lot to reach out and we're glad you did.

You are correct when you say now that being 16 and leaving makes it harder to leave your household. We are not legal experts but we can speak generally. While running away is not illegal, there could be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a minor. And if you were located by the police you would most likely returned home. This would be dependent on whether your mom would file a runaway report or not. Even if you cross state lines you can possibly still be returned. One way to get more information would be to contact the local police where you live and also where you would be running away to.

It sounds like you are thinking of filing and abuse or neglect case case against her. One resource you can reach out to is the National Child Abuse Hotline where you can get advice and information about abuse reporting that is tailored more to your specific case. They can be reached at 1-800-422-4453 or at childhelp.org. Filing a report could make a difference with whether the police would return you or not, but once again the way to know that would be to contact the police directly or contacting legal aid. If you call into us we may be able to identify legal aid for you in your area.

No one deserves to be mistreated or feel unsafe in their home. Do you have another family member or trusted adult that you think could advocate for you with your mom? If you give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) we would be ale to walk through options and explore your choices of who you can contact and what to do next.

Don't hesitate to give us a call.

Good luck,

NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I’m 16 years old and i live in Oregon. I want to leave to Michigan because my life here, my brother does drugs, constantly trying to fight me, major anger issues and is in constant trouble with the wrong people. My mom can barely get by and isn’t the best parent. If I move to Michigan, I will have a safe home and be in school. Where I am now, we don’t have enough food to last us through paydays. I know that in Oregon at the age of 16 you can leave home with parents consent. And the parent can only make the hold come home if they feel they are in danger, risk, get married or into a civil union. I just want to know if I can leave to Michigan and not have to worry about getting picked up and brought back.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and to support.

We are not legal experts, but if your parent gives you permission to live somewhere else then you are able to do so in any state. Your parent or guardian still has legal responsibility over you and so if something happens to you they could be charged with neglect, but other than that, generally speaking, there would be no reason that you would be returned home unless they filed a runaway report for you. Some things you could do would be to call up the local police in your area and the area you are going to live in in Michigan and inquire about all of this. They would give you the most reliable information. Let us know if you need help looking up those number. We can be reached at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Good luck and reach out to us if you ever need us.

NRS

We hope that this information is helpful to you! We’d love to hear what you think about your experience with the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). If you have a moment, please click the link below our signature line to fill out a quick survey. Best of luck!

[Guest]

I'm 13 and I live in Nebraska. My mother is so abusive, mentally and physically. She always has to take control over everyone's life. Ever since my father left her, she has always pointed everything at me, like it was my fault he left. I was planning on running away to like California or Florida, but I'm terribly scared, that i'm going to get caught or kidnapped. I just want to leave, I don't hate my mother but I need to get away from her I really do. She nearly beat me to death when she found out I "snuck out" when in reality I was trying to runaway, but I was to scared to tell her the truth. I feel like if I runaway they won't find me and I won't get in trouble. I'm not even old enough to drive yet, but I need help.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are very sorry to hear that you are being physically and mentally abused by your mother. Abuse is never okay and you don't deserve to be treated that way. If you feel as though you are in immediate danger, we encourage you to contact the police. You have the right to report the abuse. You could try talking to an adult that you trust such as a school teacher or counselor. Child Help (1-800-422-4453) is a great resource to explore your options and get information on how to transfer custody. You could try asking your mom if she would allow you to stay with another family member such as your father. You may also want to consider talking to your father about the possibility of him getting full custody of you.

Having a plan about where you would go and how you would take care of yourself is important. If you decide to runaway, your mother has the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, even if you moved to another state if the police find you they would return you home unless you tell them you feel unsafe at home. Running away is not illegal but if you decide to stay with a friend, their family could get in trouble for harboring a runaway. Please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat if you have any other questions or just want to talk.

[Guest]

Hey

im a 15 year old from Washington state, my dads an extreame narcissist and he’s been physically, mentally, and emotionally to my mom, two sisters and me ever since I can remember. We’ve had over 40 CPS calls and 10+ police calls to are house because of the abuse but nothing’s happened because either my dad lies or it can’t be proven the he did it. The police are useless! Both my sisters and I have ptsd and depression from the abuse and I want us out but I’m only 15 and the only this I can think of is running away but I don’t wanna leave my sisters, nor do I want to fall behind academically. Do you have any options that might be useful? If so I really need to know cause I can’t stay here, if I do I’m scared I might die

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are very sorry to hear that that your dad is abusive and the police haven't helped. Abuse is never okay and you don't deserve to be treated that way. You could try contacting Child Help (1-800-422-4453) to discuss your options, and find out more information about how to transfer custody.

It sounds like are thinking about running away. If you decide to runaway, your parents have the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, if the police find you they would return you home. Running away isn't illegal but if you decide to stay with a friend, they could get charged with harboring a runaway. The easiest way to leave home is with your parent's permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. You can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering. If you have any other questions or just want to talk, please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.



We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: We care what you think

[Guest]

I am 17 years old and am a resident of Washington, USA. I currently live with my parents. This summer when we go on vacation to New York, I plan on leaving them and taking a bus without their permission to New Hampshire, where I will stay with my 19 year old boyfriend and his parents for two months. Again to sum up, I will be leaving my parents without their permission and staying with my boyfriends family for two months in NH. I am looking for my legal rights and what my parents are capable to do about this. What can my parents legally do about this? Will his parents get in trouble for letting me stay? Are there any other potential consequences we may face?

Thank you

[ccsmod5]

Hey, thanks for reaching out. We are not legal experts, but generally speaking if you leave your parents without their permission before you are a legal adult, your parents have the right to file a runaway report. If the police are able to find you, they will return you home and yes, there is a possibility that your boyfriend and his parents could face charges for harboring a runaway. Beyond this, there are not usually any further repercussions. There is also a possibility that the police would not bother pursuing you because of your age, however we cannot guarantee that.
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think
Stay safe!

[Guest]

If I was to run away which I have in the past multiple times and been brought home and abused again but no one cared or cares except my boyfriend and cousin. But if I ran away and left out of state and maybe came home when I'm 18 would my trouble still be waiting for me, also my parents was told to wait on a court date and if I have a bench arrest against me could I stay out of state when I'm 18 without getting arrested

[ccsmod11]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. It definitely sounds like you are in a difficult situation, dealing with abuse at home and feeling uncared for. You don't deserve to be harmed by your family members intentionally in any way. Unfortunately, as far as your legal questions go, we are not legal experts, and the situation you describe is a very legally tricky one. You may want to reach out to legal aid experts or your non-emergency police to ask them these questions. You may wish to provide them more information about what your bench warrant was issued for, as this could impact the answer to your question.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

If someone is dating a minor in another state and comes to pick them up is that a misdeminor or a felony charge?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out. We aren't legal experts, but generally speaking, if you knowingly house a runaway you can be charged with harboring a runaway, which is a misdemeanor. Penalties for harboring a runaway vary from state to state, police officer to officer, and how the youth's parents/guardians feel about the situation. If you are an older adult dating a minor this may carry a more serious charge. It may be a good idea to reach out to your local nonemergency police line (311) to check on local policy.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

If my girlfriend is 17 and want to become a runaway to get out her home due to all the things going on and she’s leaving from California to Idaho what can happen

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We would be happy to help you in any way and provide you with whatever information that we can.

While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is not illegal to run away. Your parent/guardian could file a runaway report on you but this would NOT mean that you would get arrested or charged with anything. It typically does mean that the police could return you home if they encountered you and that would be that. Some police can be more understanding about what is going on at your home. In our experience, police will oftentimes return the youth back to their guardian almost no matter what. Police typically do not actively search for a runaway youth. However, they will go where the parent/guardian directs them if they know where you are staying. Additionally, police can sometimes be more lenient about runaway situations the closer you are to 18. You can attempt to calmly, respectfully, and persistently deny them consent to touch you or take you anywhere, and they may give up on trying to return you home. They also may not, in which case you should comply with what they tell you to do for your safety.

Another thing to note is that transporting a minor across state lines without the permission of their guardian can be considered a felony. If you were planning to drive them or move them yourself, this might be something you want to think about before doing so.

If you want to talk more about what is going on and what options you might have, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

[Guest]

My girlfriend is from Florida but her parents recently moved her to Alabama where the age of Majority is 19 and she wants to move back to Florida when she turns 18 but they’re telling her she can’t is that possible?

[ccsmod0]

You can pass along the following information to your girlfriend. "18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian, but some states like Alabama require you to be older. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 (or the age of majority) and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth."

[Guest]

i am 18 and my gf is 15 and she wants to run away from her parents house and stay with me, now i was wondering if we could cross state lines like without getting into trouble.

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like you are wanting to know more about runaway laws. While we are not legal experts, we can speak generally about this. If your girlfriend leaves home without permission, her parents can report her as a runaway to the police. Running away itself is not illegal, but it is a status offense. This means your girlfriend would likely be returned home if she was found by police. There are possible legal consequences for anyone who assists her in crossing state lines or who gives her a place to stay without notifying her parents or the police. Harboring a runaway charges can vary by state.

If your girlfriend is at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you or her to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. She may also be able to report any mistreatment to child protective services. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to her situation. If she ever needs assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report she can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

We hope this information is helpful. We are available 24/7 for immediate support by phone and through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

hiii I’m 16 and I live in Colorado, I want to cross state lines to Atlanta my home situation isn’t the best and it hasn’t been since forever I haven’t had running water for 4 years and my dad hits my stepmom on occasion and it takes me back to when he would hit my mom, siblings and I... it’s driving me crazy and I can’t take it anymore I just want to leave down there and disappear.
what would be the Consequences If I ever get caught ?

[ccsmod8]

Hello there -

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline on our public forum. We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It can be very frustrating not knowing what to do or what your next step might be from this point on. If you can, please read through these past threads to make sure that someone else hasn't posted something similar that might be able to help.

Of course we can’t speak for all police, but it is to our understanding that if law enforcement were to find a reported runaway it’s in their policy to return them home. When a parent files a runaway report, it usually is also entered into the NCIC (The National Crime Information Center) so if you were to leave the state and go somewhere else, the report will follow you until your 18. If you were caught outside of your state, we have heard of youth being placed in either youth shelters or juvenile detention center until they can be released to their parents and/or legal guardian.

If you have any more questions or want to talk more about what is going on at home, you can also reach out to us here via phone or our online chat. We are here 24 hours a day! Best of luck!

[Guest]

Hi im 19 and my girlfriend is just about to be 16 we’ve been together for quite sometime but her parents no the age gap. If we were to leave state lines and start our own life would I get charged with kidnapping or abduction being that it’s her choice I’m not forcing her at all. I have done some research but I’m unsure of crossing state lines and how that works as I’ve done this before by myself I ran away as a child for about 6 months then returned home upon myself. But I want what is best for my girlfriend. Her home situation is horrible and she is muniplated by her mother all the time. Like I said all I want is what it best for her can you help me out please

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS. It is great that you are reaching out and that your girlfriend has someone like you who is so supportive of her. Its can be frustrating to see someone you care about being treated poorly. We are not legal experts, but we can speak generally on laws regarding youth in crisis. While running away is not a crime it is a status offense. Her parents could report her as a runaway and have her returned home by police. As for your question about getting in trouble, you could get in trouble for harboring a runway and helping her cross state lines. It sounds like she has a lot going on at home. If she needs a safe space to talk about her situation and explore her possible options she can choose to reach out to us. Remember neither one of you is alone and you can always reach to us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS