Ugh

[Unregistered]

I have been thinking about leaving my home. I am 16 and i live in sc. I have someone i can go live with but its not legal because im underage. I know its a crime to run away and i also know its not a felony so if i run away to a different state can the cops do anything about it? Also can that person get in legal trouble if i get caught with them?

[ccsmod0]

RE: Ugh

Hi there,

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’re going through a tough time right now. They law can be difficult to figure out, so it was smart of you to reach out for some support.

Although we are not legal experts here, we can speak generally about the law in South Carolina. One thing that might be important for you to know is that, in SC, it is not illegal to runaway. It is something that is considered a “status offense”. That means that if you interact with the police (get pulled over, they find you, etc), they are able to return you back home.

You are correct that it is not considered a felony, but a runaway report may still follow you across states. Another thing that may be important for you to know is that if your parents want to, they are able to charge the person that you are staying with, with something called “harboring a runaway”. The consequences differ from state to state so it is difficult for me to speak to those.

We hope this answers your questions. If you have more concerns, we’d love to talk with you. We are available by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are here 24/7 and completely confidential and anonymous. If calling isn’t your thing, you can chat with us through our website (www.1800runaway.org) from 4.30pm-11.30pm Central Standard Time.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best of luck,

NRS