Leaving home at 17 in Louisiana

[ccsmod8]

RE: My girlfriend is 17 can she run away to my house

Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. From what you have told us about your situation it sounds like you are going through a very tough time right now. It must be pretty frustrating for you to want to help your girlfriend, but not really sure on what you can really do within the state laws in Louisiana. You stated that she is currently receiving some abusive treatment at home, do you know if she has ever tried reporting it? No one deserves to be treated that way. Especially at home when you are supposed to feel love and trust within one another.

Unfortunately here at the NRS we aren’t legal experts here, so we can’t tell you in definite terms what would happen to someone that is 17 and planning on leaving home. Certain laws do vary on state to state and even sometimes it will depend on how the local police chose to handle a runaway youth. Some states view 17 as being a legal adult, while others it’s going to be 18 years old. So our advice would to be to get into contact with your local police by calling their local non-emergency number and asking them hypothetical questions about like what a runaway is, what age a person can leave an unsafe home, etc.

It is good that you are doing so much to get your girlfriend in a safe and comfortable environment. Sounds like you really care for her. How do you think her parents would react if she were to leave home and move in with you and your family? Do you feel that they might file a runaway report on her?

[Unregistered]

Re 17 my girlfriend

They have said they would file a report and go get her from my home. They will not allow her to leave. Her family is turned around. Nice to stangers and strick elsewhere. They have taken all communication now except shool and if such actions occur she will leave even if she would be cut out completely.

[ccsmod3]

Re 17 my girlfriend

Hello again,

It sounds like your girlfriend’s family has made it clear what they will do if she runs away to your house. It doesn’t sound like an easy situation for her to be in and we’re here to listen and support her as well should she decide to contact us.

[Unregistered]

Moving out of a bad house

So I'm 17 and live in Louisiana and my dad has hit me all my life! I'm so tired of him drinking and hitting me.im a teenager so I make some mistakes and punching or slapping me in the face is no way to talk to me.rite now my left side of my ribs are bruised becuz he wanted to fight me last nite and hit me then shoved me over the recliner! Im gettin to the point where I dont care no more!

[ccsmod8]

RE: Moving out of a bad house.

Hello,

Thank you for getting into contact with us here and writing on our bulletin board. From your post here, it sounds like you’re going through a very rough time right now living at home with your father. You definitely don’t have to be treated that way. Especially when you’re at home; a place that is supposed to be a safe and loving place for you. You always have the right to report any abuse to your local police department or child protective service in your state. If you don’t feel like they will take you seriously or you might not know of how to do that, you can always call us anytime you want. There is always someone here to help you make that report with you if you choose to go down that path. Have you told anyone else about what has been going on at home between your father and yourself? You’re really brave to reach out to someone for help in your situation, it shows that you’re really mature.

You have also stated that you were getting to the point to where you don’t care anymore. What do you mean by this? If you want to talk more about what has been going on with you and your father you can always call us anytime that you want, we are 24/hours.

[Nyansquad]

I don't know what to do anymore...

Ever since 8th grade I've tried everything I could to leave my moms abusive household. Everything from trying to stay at a woman's shelter, to living with my dad who turned me down because he doesn't want me, to running away, to trying to get a family member to take me. None of these worked... No one listened to me whenever i tried to tell them what was happening. I feel like my will to keep going is draining because there's no hope for me to find a home where i'm wanted. I've been dealing with her abuse, physically and mentally, (although she stopped beating me when i threatened to call child services) for many years now. Is there any way at all that i can leave at 17? This is my last hope because i'm going crazy here and i'm losing my will to keep fighting...

[ccsmod9]

RE: I don't know what to do anymore

Hello,

We are glad that you decided to reach out to us. It seems like you are, and have been, in a very difficult situation. No one deserves to deal with any form of abuse. Things can be very difficult when you feel like you have nowhere to turn.

It sounds like you are planning on leaving. Have you thought of where you would go and how you would stay safe? It sounds like you have made the threat to make a report against your mother; have you ever considered making an actual report? As far as whether you can leave or not, the decision is up to you. We aren’t legal experts but we can talk openly on the topic. So, since you are still a minor your mom can file a runaway report, in which case if you had a run in with the police you may be returned back to her. However, when you turn 17 things tend to change a little. Even though you are still a minor, law enforcement may approach the case differently, the closer you are to 18. The best way to know how they would approach the situation would be to call your local law enforcement non-emergency line and ask.

We are sorry to hear that you are in such a difficult situation. We operate a toll free, confidential and anonymous hotline 24/7. You can reach us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you figure out what is best for your situation. Good luck.

NRS

[Unregistered]

Hello,

We are glad that you decided to reach out to us. It seems like you are, and have been, in a very difficult situation. No one deserves to deal with any form of abuse. Things can be very difficult when you feel like you have nowhere to turn.

It sounds like you are planning on leaving. Have you thought of where you would go and how you would stay safe? It sounds like you have made the threat to make a report against your mother; have you ever considered making an actual report? As far as whether you can leave or not, the decision is up to you. We aren’t legal experts but we can talk openly on the topic. So, since you are still a minor your mom can file a runaway report, in which case if you had a run in with the police you may be returned back to her. However, when you turn 17 things tend to change a little. Even though you are still a minor, law enforcement may approach the case differently, the closer you are to 18. The best way to know how they would approach the situation would be to call your local law enforcement non-emergency line and ask.

We are sorry to hear that you are in such a difficult situation. We operate a toll free, confidential and anonymous hotline 24/7. You can reach us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you figure out what is best for your situation. Good luck.

NRS

I have places to stay and i turn 17 Saturday. If i made a report i would need evidence that I don't have.

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you for your response. It sounds like you have been thinking of what your options would be. In terms of your question about evidence for an abuse report, you do not need to have evidence in order to make a report. You can either call us on our hotline at 1800.786.2929 and we can make the abuse report with you or for you. Another option you have is to call Child Help USA at 1800.422.4453 and they can connect you with the abuse reporting agency for your state.

We hoped this helped, and we encourage you to call us to discuss your situation in greater detail. You can call us on our hotline at 1800.786.2929 or you can chat with us on our website from 4:30pm-11:30pm every day. Again, we hoped this helped, and we look forward to hearing from you.

NRS

[janice]

legal age to move out

I am 17 years old with an 8 month old son, an I live with my mom an step dad and I want to know if I can legally move out an move in with my 20 year old boyfriend an his parents. I live in Louisiana .

[ccsmod5]

re: legal age to move out

Hey there,

Thanks for getting in contact with us.

So we aren’t legal experts but we can speak generally. Basically what happens is that if you are still a minor and decide to leave, your parent can file a police report. If they do decide to file a report and a police picks you up, they have to return you to your legal guardian. If your parents decide that that option is good for you and don’t file a report, you can live there. However, if they do decide to file a report for whatever reason, that law does still apply and they will have to bring you back to your legal guardians. In Louisiana, the laws may be different, but that may be something you can check with your local police. You can call them anonymously and find that number by usually googling the city you are in and the local police station. If you have any other questions or want to talk more about your situation, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Stay strong,

NRS

[Unregistered]

Moving out at 17 in Louisiana

Hi. I have always said I was ready to move out and always will, but I don't know if I can wait until I'm 18. My question is: Can I move out at 17 without emancipation? I am really not looking forward to having anything to do with the court upon moving out. When I'm home, I stay in my room all by myself because of the constant aggravation and emotional beat downs of my family. The only person that I am not depressed around is my boyfriend. I am not planning to run away, but when I do turn 17, I would like to have some proof or defense against my parents' negative decision towards the one thing that would take me out of my depressed stage. I still have 1 1/2 years left until I turn 17, but would like to know for further notice. I am trying to graduate and plan to so I can make it without their support. I know you sre not professionally trained, but can give me some guidelines. I've done research on the subject. I live in Louisiana by the way. Although the majority is 18, it does say that I may move out at 17 with the consent of my parents, but what if they don't approve? Can I tell them that I am old enough to make my own decisions and live my own life without getting into any legal troubles. I have nearly 2 years until I turn 17, but I am tired of being neglected and mentally forced to shelter myself in my room day and night. Any advice?

[ccsmod11]

Re: Moving out at 17 in Louisiana

Hi there,

Thanks for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’re dealing with a lot and reaching out is a great first step. You asked some good questions and we're here to help you as much as possible.

Every situation is different, but generally, if the age of majority is 18 you can still be considered a runaway until the day you turn 18. Though we’re not legal experts, one way to get more definitive answers is to contact your local police station or sheriff’s non-emergency line and ask some questions like:

At what age is a youth no longer considered a runaway?
If a 17 y/o leaves home without permission, do you still take a runaway report?
If yes: what happens if/when that youth is found?
They might be able to present you with some answers and can usually do so anonymously.

It sounds like your boyfriend has offered a lot of support to you through the trouble you've been having with depression and at home. It is so good to hear that you've got someone to talk to and rely on. We’re here 24/7 on the phones and 4:30 – 11:30 pm CT on chat and would be happy to talk more about your potential options, including helping you call your local sheriff’s office if that’s an option you’d like to explore. There may also be some legal aid services available depending on where in Louisiana you live, which could look up for you if you reached out with a little more detail. Thank you so much for contacting NRS.

Good luck and stay safe,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Leaving Home at 17

I'm going to be graduating high school as a junior next May, and I plan on going to college next fall. My parents agreed, but I made the compromise of staying close to home for a year, then transferring the following year. (I'm itching to get out of this town.) I was looking into housing and my mother told me that I could not stay in a dorm because I would only be 17 and I'd still be her responsibility. I personally think she just does not want to see me grow up faster than she needs to. But would it be possible for me to leave home at 17 against my parents' wishes to live in a college dorm? I was considering emancipation, but is it possible to dodge all the legal mess?

[ccsmod3]

Re: Leaving Home at 17

Hello there,

Thanks for reaching out and sharing your situation. Congratulations on your plans to graduate a year early - sounds like you're really motivated! We're not legal experts; however, colleges who accept minors are generally going to need parent/guardian consent. Even at 18+, many college students still need parental support to navigate through financial aid/tuition.

It sounds like you are second guessing your decision to stay close to home and would rather to away to school. At this point it seems like your best bet for getting answers as to whether or not you can live in a dorm against your parent's wishes would be to contact the school directly. Hopefully either someone in admissions or financial aid can answer your questions. We also have basic information on emancipation which can be a lengthy process with a lot to consider. We're here to further discuss your situation and hopefully continuing to brainstorm options. Good luck!