i was hiding my runaway friend and we lied about her identity, can i get arrested?

[Unregistered]

my friend is 13 and im 15, she ran away bc she was getting abused and molested, she stayed one night with me and her parents reported her missing. since i was the last person she was seen with the police came and searched my house, her step dad was outside my house to i.d her. when she was taken outside to see her step dad he looked at her and i quote him "thats not her" so we were relieved and they left. but later that evening when her biological father flies in from peurtrico her calls the police and has them search again, but this time he recognizes her, and his only excuse for not claiming her earlier is "her gestures were different". so anyway they cuff and arrest her and say theyll be back in a few days to talk to me....could i be arrested for harboring and assisting a runaway?

[ccsmod3]

Re: i was hiding my runaway friend and we lied about her identity, can i get arrested

Thank you for sharing you situation with us. It sounds like you were trying to help your friend and are now concerned with getting in trouble. We are sorry to hear that your friend was getting abused and molested. No one deserves to be treated that way and it sounds like you care very much for your friend. If she currently feels unsafe, one option might be to contact Child Protective Services. If you are unsure about that option, you could always contact Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453. They don’t actually take the abuse reports, they just give information. If you (or your friend) do decide to file a report, they can give you the number for your city/state. Or, we could always help through that process should you give us a call.

We are not legal experts here; however, in many cases the parent or guardian has to be willing to pursue charges against the adult involved with harboring a runaway. Whether your parents/guardians were aware that your friend was a runaway may also affect whether her parents can press charges. To our knowledge harboring a runaway is just a misdemeanor and would fall on the adult, not the minor involved. Hopefully that helps and if you need an official answer from a legal professional or law enforcement you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY for referrals. We are anonymous, confidential, and available 24/7. Best of luck!

-NRS

[Unregistered]

Can i press charges for a family harboring my runaway?

Hi

My 14 year old ran away to nyc to meet a boy she met online because we did not agree with the meeting at the time.
My daughter is also depressed and has possible mental issues before this incident.
When the cops proceeded to knock on this kids door they denied that she was there atleast 3 times.
Can I legally press charges against this family for harboring my runaway?
My daughter wrote a runaway note and wasnt planning on returning but the cops scared her and his parents so they sent her home.
If i spoke spanish i would call his mother myself.

I am in the process of finding a way to keep him away from my daughter because he is manipulitive and gets her doing drugs which I found on video. He is also is being very pushy about getting sex from her.

I refuse to let him in my house any longer. My daughter is now 15 and this boy will be 17 next month. Btw- he is a school drop out and is just a bad influence to my daughter which has problems already. I let this span 5 months past the runaway date. Legally dont know what I can do. She ran from NJ to NYC.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you have quite a few issues going on with your daughter.
We understand your concern for her safety it must have been quite a relief to have her return home.
You raise a good question about pressing charges against the parents for harboring your daughter while she was a runaway.

We cannot give you the specifics about harboring laws as they pertain to runaway youth but here is our general understanding.
It is considered illegal in most states for committing and there could be some penalty rendered if found guilty. It is probably best to check with your local law enforcement about the procedures to file such a complaint.
You might also try talking with a juvenile officer about filing any stop and desist orders that may assist with the youth in question from contacting your daughter.

Does that make sense?

We hope this sheds some light on your questions.

You may call our 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) 24hr crisis hotline and speak with one of our crisis liners if you would like to gather more information or referrals.

Our NRS website has information for parents and list services that might aid you in dealing with your situation.
www.1800Runaway.org http://www.1800runaway.org/parents/resources/
We wish you the best of luck with your situation.
Take Care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

I helped my friend move out while her parents were at work

My 16 yr old friend was getting abused and was sick and tired of it so she started slowly packing up and today i helped her finish packing and helped get it into a vehicle. I know where she is and that she is safe. Her father came to my house looking for her and i told him that i didnt know where she was or where she could be, later on a police officer phoned me.... She asked if i knew where she was and i said no, she asked if i knew anyone how knew where she could be and i said no. I was just wondering if i could get in serious trouble by lying to the police officer? If so, how much trouble would i get into? What will happen to me if they find out i lied and find out i helped her? Is it illegal that i lied to her about that information? I may be over thinking it but i just wanna be sure. I dont regret helping her, cause she needed to get away from her parents but im kinda freaking out and i would like to know. please help me by answering my questions.

[ccsmod10]

RE: I helped my friend move out while they were at work

Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to us. You sound like a good friend for helping your friend escape an abusive situation. Just to let you know, we are not legal experts so this is not any type of legal advice. Technically it is not against the law for your friend to run away from home. At most it would be considered a 'status offence'. However, anyone who she is caught staying with her, or possibly helping her can be charged with 'harboring a runaway'. Those charges vary from state to state, and will often depend on your local police stations statutes. Your friend also has a right to be safe in her own home. If there is abuse going on, Child Protective Services may be able to help your friend stay safe and out of the home for good.

We would encourage you both to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929) or by live chat at www.1800runaway.org from 4:30pm-11:30pm Central Standard Time to discuss further options and help you come up with a solid plan. If you are worried about legal consequences, we can possibly try and find you some legal aid that can better answer these questions. We wish you both the best of luck and hope to hear from you soon!

- NRS

[Unregistered]

Minor Harboring A Minor

My friend who is being abused in multiple forms, ran away to my house. She stayed overnight and got on the school bus with me the next morning. Upon reaching school we went our separate ways, she went to the police station down the road. My parents had nothing to do with it and still have no idea she was here. Can my parents or I be charged with harboring a runaway? My parents had nothing to do with it and I am a minor.

[ccsmod15]

Re: i was hiding my runaway friend and we lied about her identity,can i get arrested?

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you were doing your best to try to keep your friend safe by letting her stay at your house. We are so sorry to hear that your friend felt unsafe at home, no one deserves to feel unsafe at home. It sounds like you’ve been a great source of support for her. You mentioned that you have concerns about you or your parents being charged with harboring a runaway. We’re not legal experts, be we will do our best to provide you with as much information as we can.

You stated in your message that your friend went to the local police station, but you didn’t say whether or not your friend wanted to file an abuse report with her local child protective services. If she has not and would like to, she can obtain the contact info for her local agency by reaching out to Child Help USA at 1.800.422.4453. If your friend feels she needs help reporting the abuse, she is welcome to reach out to us and we will do our best to support her regardless of her decision.

Regarding whether or not you or your family can be charged with harboring a runaway, because laws vary from state to state, it would really depend on how your police department handles that type of charge. In some cases, the parent or legal guardian of the missing youth has to be willing to pursue charges against the adult involved in harboring a runaway. How much your parents knew about her being in your home may also affect whether charges can be filed. If you’d like a more concrete answer, we would encourage you to reach out to someone familiar with the laws in your state, like a local law enforcement officer or a legal professional. If you do not have this information, feel free to reach out to us and we can provide you that information.

We want you to know that we are here to support you regardless of your decision. If you’d like to reach out to us for any reason, we are available by phone 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929), as well as via chat every day from 4:30pm – 11:30pm CST. We wish you and your friend the best of luck. Stay safe!

NRS

[JayKay]

H e l p

I have a Question. About A year and a half Ago I met a girl Online We became friends and I used to talk to her mother On Facebook She told me I should move Out And marry her daughter that I seemed Nice We had Like 7 months talking and That her Husband Would get me a Job But I ignored It because My Father was very sick And I was taking care of Him and I didn't know them that good.After a few Days Of Facetiming I noticed She was being Neglected and Had verbal Abuse And She was In a home where they drinked and did drugs.During this time She was dating a guy online He was 19 I believe And he was Abusive and would always make her cry And I would try to comfort her.After awhile Her Mother Said I could Date her so she Left the other guy.we only Talked on the phone She lived In AZ and I lived in Chicago.She Was always Taking care Of her 2 younger brothers While the mother slept all day or wasn't home.We were like Best friends she would tell me anything ,At one Point she Told me Her mother Gave Her weed when she was Young and that She had a step Dad because her mother Left her real dad Because He was an alcoholic And that At he used To sexually Touch her when She was Like 6 or 7.When she told the mother she left him But never made a Report about it That made me worry more about Her.Then things got worse Her ex Made lies about me that I called her bad things She got upset and Ignored me For days So I deleted My Facebook account Because I got Upset and I had To worry about taking care of My sick Father.Weeks Later She arrived To my Home!! (She had my address because Her mother sent me a Christmas gift box)She came Hurt ,Really Skinny and a bit dirty.She told me IF she could Stay for awhile in My mothers house I told her Okay my mother Bought her Treatments She had no medical care at all With her mother.She had an Eye infection ,Ear Infection and a few other things.When She got Better I asked Her why she left and how she got here,She said She saved up And Sold Her Gaming console and Bought a plane ticket Online Using a Prepaid Visa And that she Didn't want to go home because She doesn't feel safe and Because they treated her bad and Felt neglected.During This Time I was 19.When I met her She told me she was 18 and I didn't question it much Because She looked 18+ and her mother was okay with her dating the other guy and she wasn't attending school.During This My father passed away and we had to move out.We moved to another place Then my mother told Her If she wanted to continue school If she had her Birth certificate with her and stuff,She said she lost it that she needs to get a new one and that she wanted to do online school So we bought her a laptop.Two days Ago an agent came to our new home Looking for her saying she was a run a way From Arizona I was surprised And that She's Really 17, We thought she was turning 19 in November 11 But she was actually Turning 18 in 5months.The police took her away She told them she doesn't feel safe at home and is scared to Go Home.So they currently Took her To a Group home or shelter.Her Uncle Was called to come to Chicago she has no Family members Here.Im worried that they might Force her to go back with the mother,Would they let her go with her family member? Or Is there any way For My mother To take care Of her she cares about her and wants to help her.And Now another problem Is that That The mother is trying to get Me in trouble with the Police Because she was a run a way And a minor,But we didn't know ,Would we be in trouble ? Where could I call To find information about Law issues.The agent that took her Said we Took care of her and she was not harmed.Should I contact a lawyer? And one last thing I'm sure I have proof of The mother Neglecting and verbally abusing her on Facebook Messages.Shes acting like she never knew me and I have chat messages of her talking with me But I'm scared Of re activating the Facebook, Also I forgot To tell them that she has Cuts and A knife wound on Her back that they should look at it That's proof that she wasn't safe at home.And I have proof that my father passed away that's why we moved the owner Wanted us to leave The police agent Talked to the owner of the home And told him We moved because He wanted us out he told me That's how he found our new home ,the mother ,she was trying to make it seem we were trying To hide.I'm really worry about her safety and Also Worried That She's trying to Get me in trouble.

[ccsmod15]

Re: H e l p

Hello!

Thanks for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline, we’re glad you decided to reach out to us and try to get more information to try to solve the situation you are currently in.

It sounds like you have a lot going on, and that a lot has happened in the last couple of months. It is great that you and your mother were kind enough to help this young person and help her with everything she needed help with!

We at the National Runaway Safeline are not legal experts, therefore we cannot give you legal advice, however it sounds like you are in Chicago, and was able to find some legal resources there:
-Chicago Volunteer Legal services, (312) 332-1624
-DePaul Legal Clinic (312) 362-8294
You can try giving one of these two law firms a call and explaining to them your current situation and ask them the same questions you asked us.

Also, it probably sounds right to let the authorities know about the cuts, and the knife wound on her back, you can do this by making an abuse report about it. One good agency there is, is Child Help USA. Their phone number is 1-800-422-4453. They are able to provide more information about any additional resources you may need.

We would also encourage you to contact us at the National Runaway Safeline, and this way we can discuss this situation into further detail, and might be able to give you a more accurate answer, and more accurate resources as well. Our toll free 24/7 phone number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929), we hope to hear from you soon, and talk through with you about this situation.

Good Luck!!


NRS

[Guest]

I was wounding if I would get in trouble for helping my sister who has been on the run. From Texas she left her halfway house she just wants to be with family that is willing to help her?

[ccsmod0]

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like your sister was unhappy with her living situation and she has run away. It is understandable that you would want to help her out and not let her stay on the streets. We are not completely sure what kind of halfway house you are referring to so we do not know how to fully answer your question. But just as a general rule of thumb, if your sister is a minor who has run away from somewhere that her parents/guardians want her to be, then yes. You could potentially get in trouble for aiding her.
The best way to find out what exactly would happen if you did aid her would be to call your local police department and ask. We know it can be scary to call the police so if you are interested you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) and we can help you call them.
As well you can give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) 24/7 toll free or utilize our chat services through our website and we can provide you with assistance to find other resources that could help you out in your situation.
You are doing a great job taking the first steps to get more information about her situation. Feel free to give us a call or utilize our chat services if you need help. We are here to listen to you and help as best we can.

~NRS

[Guest]

My sister was appointed my sons legal guardian and he's been living with her and my 2 nephews for the past couple of years he was on the honor roll and a straight a student up until this past year or so because my sister got involved with a man and moved in with man leaving my son at the house with my 2 nephews which are both over 18 but are not his legal guardian and they both work so as far as my son having any structure anymore that was gone along with my sister so my son started missing allot of school and his grades went down to Fs and he started hanging out with a bad crowd which my sister was to busy to know about and she thought I wouldn't find out but I did and brought it to her attention of what he was doing and told her she didn't have to lie anymore that I knew she moved out so she got scare and moved him with her so she wouldn't get in trouble and since he's moved with her and her boyfriend my son had been miserable and calls me every single day crying wanting to come back with me so I've been doing what I can the right way in order to get him back today my son shower up at my door and told me please he doesn't want to go back that my sister treats him terrible and he doesn't want to go back so she calls me threading to send the cops to my house to pick him up because he's a run away and wanted my address which I would not give her and she doesn't wants him back so she doesn't get in trouble but the way I see it is I know if he gets took back to her house he's gonna run away again with one of his friends or worse on the streets where he would not be safe and at least here with me he's safe and I know where he is I've already gone to the police station to see what I can do so he doesn't have to go into foster care and so I don't get arrested they said to contact dcfs as soon as possible which I came home and tried but want successful do tomorrow I'm going to to the children's court to see if I can see the judge and an emergency court date what else should I be doing and what can happen to me because he came to me

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a really tough situation but you are doing everything that you can. You were right to go to the police and ask about what you could possibly do. Besides contacting DCFS, you could also contact Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 to ask questions about transferring guardianship and what you can do in your situation. The other thing would be to stay in contact with the police so that if she continues to threaten you, you can have them possibly understand your situation. Don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you want to talk through these options with a liner.

Good luck,

NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis 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 don’t know if this is how to ask a question here but my friends ran away from an abusive home (both physical and mental abuse). And she doesn’t want to report the abuse because it’s her dad only abuses her, not her stepsisters, and she doesn’t want her sisters to not have a father. So she ran away but is planning to return in a week or two to see if her parents have decided to be more reasonable. The police called me asking if i knew where she was and other stuff, and I knew most of the stuff they asked but I lied abiut it all because I know my friend doesnt want to be found. Can i get in trouble for lying to the police abiut that?

[ccsmod5]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like your friend is going through a tough time. While we are not legal experts here at National Runaway Safeline it is possible you could get in trouble for lying to the police about it. If the parents of the runaway file a runaway report then whomever the runaway is staying with could get charged with harboring a runaway. This is a crime and potentially one could get in trouble for lying about not knowing where the runaway is.
If you or your friend ever needs someone to talk to we are here 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Also if your friend is being abused there is a specific hotline that may be a great resource for them. Child Help (1-800-422-4453) a national child abuse hotline which can help give your friend options if things don’t improve at home.

[Guest]

Hi

My situation isn't as bad as some of these other entries. However I have a few questions. I am 16 and trying to find a way to legally leave my house and live with my friend. Her mom is willing to "become my parent" until I turn 18. Will my parents be able to force me to return home? Will I have to return home? will my friend's mom be in danger legally for allowing me into her house?

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out. One thing to keep in mind is that we are not legal experts, so we can’t give legal advice. We can give some general information; if you would like to get in touch with a legal expert, feel free to give us a call and we can try to find some legal resources for you. That being said, we’ll answer your questions to the best of our ability. In most states, you need to be 18 to leave home without parental consent. If you left without that, then yes, your mom would have the right to file a runaway report and if the police are able to find you, they will return you home. Your friend’s mom could face charges for harboring a runaway, but this isn’t really something we hear about often.
If you’d like additional resources or want to speak more specifically about what’s been going on, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. Take care!
--NRS