I'm 16 in Florida and I want to know if your parents can force you to come back home

[Unregistered]

So I am 16 and me and my mom have NOT been getting along for about the past year. But it got especially bad in the past month. I kind of tried running away the other day. I left her a note on my bed explaining some things. And i was going to continue going to school and work I just wasn't going to live at home. And she got me out of fourth period and had me go to a behaviouroul (sp?) health clinic. And they said I might have depression and that I should go to therapy for that and that me and my mom should go to family counseling. I don't understand why I have to go to family counseling if the only problem is that I just flat out DO NOT like my mom at all. I could care less about what happens to her. And you're probably just thinking I'm some teenager that has these crazy hormones but that's not true. But ANYWAYS if I do runaway and she calls the police can they force me to come back home? And also just the other day she took MY money that I earned out of MY bank account but since I'm a minor we had to have a joint account. So also is she allowed to do that? She didn't put a SINGLE penny in that account it was all me. And she just took it all! So is it legal for me to leave without being forced back home?

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling your story. It sounds like you have a lot going on and we’re glad that you have contacted us. Now, we aren’t legally trained here so we wouldn’t be able to tell you what specifically would happen if you left home but we can give you some general ideas. We can also try to provide you with some resources that may be able to give you more specific answers.

It sounds like you and mom have had a rough relationship for about a year but that it’s gotten worse in the past month. It also sounds like she is interested in attending family counseling with you but you don’t want to do that. Can you tell us a little more about the relationship you have with your mom and why you feel that it’s gotten to be difficult? We are sorry to hear that it’s been a hard time for you. You said that you had tried to runaway the other day and left a note for your mom; it also sounds like you had planned on continuing with school and work while gone. Are those things important to you?

Again, we aren’t legally trained here so we wouldn’t be able to tell you specifically what would happen if you left home but we do have a general understanding of what may happen. If you leave home and your mom file a runaway report with the local police, they may or may not actively look for you but the information will go into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) so if you are picked up by the police anywhere, they will know that you are considered a runaway. Then, they may call your mom to let her know that you have been located and make arrangements to return you home. Since you are under 18 years old, your mom is still legally responsible for you so you probably would have to return to her.

We are sorry to hear that your mom took all of the money out of your account. Have you spoken with the bank to see if you have any legal actions that you can take?

Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we are a crisis hotline for youth who need assistance. You can reach us 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you would like to talk more or see what resources are available for you. We are completely confidential and anonymous as well but if you aren’t comfortable calling us, we have online chat services that are available from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST), 7 days a week.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

~NRS

[Unregistered]

Re: I'm 16 in Florida and how old do i have to be to leave my parents house

i wasn't raised by my parent i only been with them for four years there's a lot going on at home me and them been arguing about a boy i met 5 month ago me and him been dating and our relationship is pretty well until the day i skip to go celebrate his birthday with him
i had a couple bad reationship and i also been rape before so my parents found out i skipped its not the first time i skipped before i know i was wrong for skipping but i finally fin a guy who's ready to stay with me through ups and downs and someone who really cares about me so not being raise with my i still cant adapt to there rules the're to overprotective i can't even go out or stand by the door they gonna talk and my mom use violence she hit me i do't want to stay with them anymore i want to move out

[ccsmod15]

Re: I'm 16 in Florida, I want to know if your parents can force you to come back home

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We recognize it takes great courage to be able to reach out and share some of your situation with us. It sounds like a lot has been happening at home with your parents. You mentioned your parents using violence, and we want you to know you don’t deserve to be treated like that. It is within your right to call the police or file a child abuse report when things like this are occurring. If this is an option you’d like to pursue, you can always give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

We are also so sorry to hear you have experienced rape. No one deserves to go through something like that. https://centers.rainn.org/ can be a really good resource if you are interested in receiving additional support for that.

We’re happy to hear you’ve found someone who makes you happy. You mentioned arguing with your parents about this relationship, and that you’re wondering about how old you have to be to leave the house. In Florida, the age of majority is 18 meaning that is when you are able to leave. However, if your parents were to give you permission, you could leave now.

If you were to run away, it’s not illegal but it is considered a status offense because of your age. Your parents could file a runaway report on you and the police could bring you back home. If you are considering running away, feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY so we can further discuss your options. We want to support you as best as possible, so do not hesitate to call in or chat us on our website.

Best of luck and stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I've ran away a week ago and I'm 16 years led and I am staying at a friends house because I suffered abuse as a kid with my father and my mother now has a new guy but he's very strict and overprotective and always threatens to kick me out over small things and feeds her bs about me. So I left not because I did something but because I had enough I passed my limit. But I have a 3.8 gpa and its summer right now and I plan on going to to south Florida to be with my girlfriend who's parents said it was perfectly fine to stay with them. I want to attend school but I'm not sure if I can because of enrollment and my mom knowing where I am. I left a note and all saying I'm safe. But can I attend school as a runaway in the state of Florida? I'm 16 years old and a junior

[ccsmod0]

Hello,

Thanks so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like it's very stressful at home, and you've run away; it seems like you're currently safe, which is great to hear.

We are not legal experts, so we cannot offer legal advice, but we can speak in general terms. Since you are 16, you would be considered a minor in Florida, and since you've run away from home, your parents could file a runaway report against you. This is a status offense and not a criminal offense, so broadly speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, since your girlfriend's parents are not your legal guardians, they could face legal consequences for harboring a runaway if you decide to stay with them and should your parents choose to file a runaway report.

Since we're not legal experts, we wouldn't be able to say with any certainty what the rules are in Florida in terms of attending school as a runaway. However, we can refer you to legal resources that could help you determine what is best for your situation. Feel free to give us a call at our 24/7 confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY, or use our live chat service open every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST, and we can help provide you with legal resources near your area.

It sounds like you're going through a lot, and we hope everything works out. As I mentioned, if you need resources that can help you figure out what the legal consequences may be in your area, or just have further questions or want to talk, you are welcome to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY or use our live chat service. Take care.

[Guest]

Ill be 16 in January and I am living in Florida. My parents have been separated for most my life and they share custody. Both of my parents have been really emotional abusive the past year. I did not see it till recently when someone close to me mentioned considering the possibility. They have isolated me from everything and everyone for no reason. And to keep people away from me they have been saying awful things. They threaten to put me in a mental hospital because im "unstable" when in reality im just going crazy from being alone all the time. I take the ged test as soon as i turn 16 because they took me out of school. They took away my phone and they took away my doorknob and multiple things like that. I feel so alone and i cant stay here any longer then i have to. I know that they will not willingly emancipate me. I need to know what rights i have because these people are suffocating me, thank you!

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

We’re so sorry to hear that you’re dealing with emotional abuse and forced isolation at home. No one deserves to be abused or forced to be alone and without emotional support. Thank you for making your own health and safety a priority and reaching out to us for help.

It sounds like your parents are threatening you and preventing you from accessing friends and privacy. Abuse of any kind is never okay and not deserved. One possibility is to file an abuse report with Child Protective Services. If you’d like to discuss that option further or want help beginning the process, you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) and we can call with you, or you can call the National Child Abuse Hotline (Child Help) at 1-800-422-4453. Other options may be to reach out to other family members, friends, or people you are close to, like the person you mentioned who initially suggested that your parents may be emotionally abusive, and let them know what’s going on and whether they can help.

You can also call us or use our chat when it is open (at https://www.1800runaway.org/) and we can help you think through other options and develop a plan that keeps you as safe as possible. You deserve to be supported and listened to, and to be able to spend time with other people, so thanks again for reaching out and recognizing that your well being is important.

We wish you the best of luck,

NRS

[Guest]

I want to leave my house too but my parents going to call p

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It seems like there must be a lot going on in your life especially at home if you’re thinking about running away from home.

If you’re a minor (under the age of 1, and leave home without your parents’ permission, they can call the police. You can’t be arrested for running away and if the police find you, they will return you home. If you do decide that leaving home is your best option, we can try to find you a runaway shelter to stay.

If you want to talk more about what’s going on a home, we’re always here for you. If you give us a call on our 24/7 fully confidential hotline, at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

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: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

Hi I'm not doing so well at home it seems to me that my mom doesn't care about me or my sister anymore. To me in my eyes she cares about her boyfriend more from getting him weed to making sure he has nice clothes and shoes when I'm struggling to get new school clothes and shoes for me a my sister I was forced to get a second job but turns out it's not enough I tried to confront my mom about the situation and she thought I was giving her a "attitude" and " talking back " when all I just want to do is talk to her. Me and her never had the best relationship ever since day she met her boyfriend it's been all down Hill from there my little sister is afraid to stand up for what she wants to say but I'm not and I get looked at as disrespectful. I even tried to point out the fact she doesn't do anything in the house besides boss us around and make sure food is cooked the house is clean the dogs are taken care of and everything making sure we good grades clean clothes .... All these things are because of me I do these things but when I stop for even a second just for some free time with my friends or whatever I get yelled at for not doing anything and yelled at for being a "snobby teen" I don't know what to do I'm 16 fixing to be 17 in may (next month) I live in Florida I done brief research on what to do but I could just runaway but I know that's not that she best option but it's the only option at this point I can not deal with her boyfriend talking smack behind me and my sisters back and her believing it ripping up my baby pictures and everything hurts me as a daughter I do not want to do counseling because she isn't even gonna do that . I was just thinking about just moving In with my boyfriends mom she is very welcoming and everything they do so much for me but I don't want to leave my sister she's too afraid but I'm not so I'm willing to do it on my own I want to still go to school and pursue a career but I don't think it's possible for me if I stay here her and her boyfriend are sick people she doesn't even care if he threatened to hit us or touch us or anything he hasn't done those things but he said dirty and hurtful things to me and my little sister I just want to leave if my sister can stay that's good for her but I don't I just really need some guidance please I don't wanna leave and go back if she calls the police..

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hi I'm not doing so well at home



Hi,
Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you are in a tough situation and may be looking for some options to help cope with everything.
We understand how difficult it must have been to speak about what you have been going through.
You are very brave for doing so. Good for you.
We would like you to know we are here to support you at this difficult time.

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We are here as support to help you and your friend through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.

Let us know how we might help, please contact us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) orwww.1800Runaway.org (live chat).


Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello. I am 17 and a half. NRS reccomended that I contact you. I plan on running away next month. My dad said to me EXACTLY in March “Go ahead and leave. I wont even look for you if you do.” This is not fabricated at all; it is exactly what he told me. My life at home is extremely terrible. I am not allowed to do anything. I cannot participate in extra curricular activities, my senior prom just passed, and I was not allowed to go to that. I am not allowed to live my life like a regular teen would. I am not even allowed to have friends. I’m not even trying to go to parties and have sex or drink, I just want to be able to have some freedom, especially with education. My dad was also arrested last year for battery against me and CPS got involved, but they were unable to remove me from my house since the incident was reported two months after it happened and my bruises healed by then. I am not even allowed to choose what college/University I can go to. I was recently accepted into a prestigious university, but since it required freshmen to live in dorms, I was forced to reject the offer. I have tried numerous times to form a bond with my mother, and try to express myself to her, but she always pretends to understand me, then goes off to my dad and talks behind my back, then my dad starts a huge argument with me, and then chaos happens. This has been happening for several years. A plurality of people, EVEN GROWNUPS WITH CHILDREN, have told me that my parents are extremely ridiculous. My brother ran away at 16. He is now in his 20s and is living a great life. My parents always make me feel so bad about myself. I want to leave very badly. I would have a place to stay. I am a graduating senior, and have many scholarships that would pay for schooling and personal needs. I also have participated in college classes, so I would be able to get my degree faster. I honestly just want some advice. What are my options? I really cannot live like this anymore.

[ccsmod10]

Hi,

If you have contacted NRS today through another means (for example, live chat, email or bulletin) for the same issue, it would be helpful to let us know that you have already contacted us. NRS understands it takes courage to reach out for help; therefore, we would like to minimize the need for you to repeat your situation and avoid offering you duplicate services.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi for the past two years have been running away. Because my mom and her partner have been arguing and I got bullied at school I asked my mom to let me go and move away am I allowed to move out if she says that because im still gonna go to school an everything but I wanted to know if I was allowed to leave and move in with a friend if I had just her permission

[ccsmod5]

Hi, thanks for reaching out. It sounds like things have been pretty difficult at both home and school, but we’re glad you have the option to stay with a friend. If your mother gives you permission to stay there, it shouldn’t be an issue.
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]

Hello to whoever gives a chance to reading this plea for help. I am a 16 yr old who's about to turn 17 in September currently residing in Miami, Florida. Since I can remember my parents have done nothing but reject every possible chance I get to live a normal life. Constantly turning down my requests to hang out with friends, denying my wish of joining an activity that allows for me to socialize with people that I love and do what I love as well, even interfering with the chance of having a nice boyfriend. Though this may sound childish and possibly even foolish to be reaching out, but to constantly deny the people that try and go out of their way to ensure that you are living your best life only to please your "parents" that don't even give a second glance at what you wish to do with your own life, I would just like someone to help me with my situation at hand. I have tried countless of times to talk to my parents, but just mentioning the words "friends" and "going out" sends them into a flurry of anger while I go and run to hide the tears about to run down my face. Its gotten to a point where its become a routine. To whoever reads this, thank you for taking the time in doing so. To those that respond with help, thank you for taking the time in doing so.

Yours truly, a distressed teen

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It takes a lot to reach out, and your concerns are not childish. We're sorry to hear about how things have been and want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home. Some options you would have would be emancipation or to have someone else, like a trusted adult or counselor, be there while you're having that conversation with them to advocate for you. Sometimes it can be helpful to have another adult around when you’re trying to talk to your parents so that they can stand up for you and try to keep the conversation calm and fair. We have a conference call service here and a liner could help you have that conversation with them. We also would have general information about emancipation and could provide things like legal aid numbers if you were interested in that as well. We can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929.

Let us know how we can best help. We are also here if you just want to talk.

NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m currently 15 and this past summer I was abused by my biological father but when I’m home with my mother I’m mentally abused I have a lot of stress on me. I have a boyfriend he is 18 we have been dating for over 6 months and he makes me happy and when I’m 16 I want to leave and I’ll go live with him so I won’t have to go through stress or any type of abuse is it possible for me to be able to just leave without getting emancipated?

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS!

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. It’s brave of you to reach out during your time of need.

Abuse is never okay and especially not from your own parents, you don’t deserve that. Have you ever considered filing an abuse report? That’s an option we can discuss with you in more detail if you decide to call or chat with us. If you wanted more information on abuse and reporting it, you can also contact Child Help, they’re the national child abuse hotline. Their phone number is (800)422-4453 and their website is childhelp.org (they also have an online chat service)

As a minor (under the age of majority), you aren't able to leave home without your parents’ permission. We aren’t legal experts, but what generally what typically happens if a minor runs away, is that your parents would be able to make a runaway report. Now if your parents did file a runaway report, they can choose to press charges on your boyfriend for harboring a runaway. Harboring a runaway is when that party are not giving accurate information on a runaway’s whereabouts. That could lead to a number of different legal issues such as misdemeanor charges (fines or jail charges). From what we know it isn’t something that typically happens, but it is in place to detour individuals from helping runaway minors from not returning home or lying on a runaway’s behalf. A good way to find out exactly what the
police protocols are in your city, would be to reach out to your local non-emergency police. You can ask them hypothetical questions about running away.

If you'd like, we can look for legal aid resources. There are lawyers who help youth for free or for free, they would be able to brainstorm legal ways for you to move out early. If you'd like us to connect you with those resources please give us a call.

We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center, or use our chatting services via our website. The best way to tell us everything would be to just call into our hotline and talk to one of our trained liners.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

im 16 and me and my step mom has had some problems with the last couple years and we actually have gotten into each others faces and yell at each other and she threaten me that she will cops on me and that it is illegal to runaway and im just wondering is it illegal to run away

[ccsmod9]

18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 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. You can also call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you need to talk.