Police told me that it is legal to abuse kids in Washington State !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Concerned Adult]

how can this be?
City of Vancouver,WA Police say:

* A kid can not enter his home through his bedroom window if parents refuse to give him a key?
* It's OK if the parents don't feed their kid
* Parents can legally hit their kids
* Parent's friends can hit these kids also
* The child is not allowed to run away
* I will go to jail if I allow the child in my home

SERIOUSLY??????????

[ccsmod10]

RE: Police told me that it is legal to abuse kids in Washington State !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, thank you for reaching out to us.

It sounds like you’re wondering about some legal issues in Washington state. We are not legal experts, but we have access to a database of resources which includes legal experts. You have the option of contacting a legal expert to find out what is and is not legal where you live.

In Vancouver, Washington, we found these legal aid options:

Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program
(360) 823-0423

https://www.ccvlp.org

Northwest Justice Project Vancouver Office
(360) 693-6130

https://www.nwjustice.org

Contacting these legal aid experts may or may not be an option you prefer – what do you think?

Again, we are not legal experts, but generally speaking a parent/legal guardian is required by law to ensure the safety of minors in his or her care. Therefore, while a parent/legal guardian has the right to refuse to allow a minor into his or her home, they also have a legal obligation to provide that minor with a safe place to stay. In addition, generally speaking a parent/legal guardian is required to provide food to a minor in their care. Furthermore, generally speaking a parent/legal guardian has no right to strike a minor in their care for any reason, or allow anyone else to strike a minor in their care. Also, in general running away is not allowed, but it is also typically not something a person is going to be arrested for. Typically, a runaway is returned to his or her legal guardian. Finally, it is a crime to “harbor a runaway,” but the consequences vary from place to place.

The information in the paragraph above is general - it may not be applicable to your community. If you want to know the specific answers to these questions for Vancouver, Washington, you have the option of calling the legal aid experts listed above.

It sounds like you are dealing with a potentially difficult situation, and we are glad you decided to contact us. Hopefully this information is helpful. If you want to discuss these matters further, you have the option of calling us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (800-786-2929). We are here 24 hours a day, every day. We can also be reached via our instant messaging program right here at www.1800RUNAWAY.org – we are available to talk online from 4:30pm to 11:30pm, every day.

Best wishes,
~NRS