Texas age 13

[ccsmod5]

Thanks for writing in. We’re unsure about the specifics of your case and we aren’t legal experts, but generally speaking if a minor runs away and the police are able to locate them, the minor will be returned home. There are generally no legal consequences, so likely you will not go to court unless there are other circumstances (for example, if you are on parole or have a special court order preventing you from running away). To speak more specifically about your situation, give us a call at 1-800-786-292. Best of luck.

Will I go to court if they find me?

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS! We’re open 24/7, if you’d ever like to call in and talk more with us about what's going on at home that's making you think about running away, we're here.

As far as we know, you can’t be arrested for running away, nor does the runaway report stay on your record. 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. It’s not a common charge that we hear about since it’s very hard to prove. Since we're not legal experts, we always offer to call out with youth to their local police station, through our conference calling service. That way we can ask them exactly what their protocols are, if you're interested in using that service, don't hesitate to call into our safeline.

We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. Our safeline is open 24/7. We also have a chatting service via our website, unfortunately, it is not always open. The best way to contact us would be to call in and talk with our trained liners.

Be well, NRS

I’m 14 and I want to run away, however I live in Texas. Is there any possible way I can run away without it being illegal or getting caught?

[ccsmod6]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us tonight here at the National Runaway Safeline! It sounds like you might be considering running away at the age of 13. We appreciate you reaching out to us for more information, hopefully we can give you some information on runaway laws to help you make your decision.

If you leave home before the age of 18 without permission you could be considered a runaway. Running away is not illegal - but it is considered a status offense. What this means is that you won't be arrested for running away, but your parents or guardian could file a runaway report for you with the police. You would then be put into a national runaway database and the police would be looking for you. If the police found you they would take you back home. It would not go on your permanent record or anything, though.

Please know you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY if you want to talk more about what you are going through, we are 24/7 so someone will always be here! We wish you the best of luck with everything.

I'm 13 will i go to jail if I run alway

[ccsmod0]

re:

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out tonight and asking those questions. You ask good questions and it sounds like you're trying to figure out all these legal issues surrounding running. That's smart. So let's see how we can help you out tonight.

We aren't legal experts here, but we are able to speak generally as to what might happen if you decide to leave. If you leave without your parent's permission, your parents have the right to file a runaway report with the police. In some states a runaway report is classified as a status offense. A status offense is a lot like a parking ticket. There is no fine, you wouldn't be arrested and it goes away as soon as you are returned home or as soon as you turn 18. If you are on probation or parole, running away could carry with it some more consequences.

We hope that this information is helpful to you. If you want to talk more or have any other questions, call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). If you aren't able to call, you can chat with us through our website (www.1800runaway.org) from 4.30pm-11.30pm Central Time. We look forward to your call or chat.

Best of luck,

NRS

What if

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. Generally speaking, it is not illegal to run away. However running away is considered a status offense in most states. Status offenses are behaviors that violate the law only if committed by a minor. Status offenses include some of the following such as running away from home, truancy, curfew violations, and underage drinking. If you leave home without permission, your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) do have the right to report you as a runaway. In most cases, if seen by law enforcement, runaways are picked up and arrangements are made for youth to return home.

We hope the information provided helps.

Best Wishes
~NRS

What will happen if you run away or what does a status charge do

[ccsmod6]

re: Texas age 13

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. Generally speaking, it is not illegal to run away. However running away is considered a status offense in most states. Status offenses are behaviors that violate the law only if committed by a minor. Status offenses include some of the following such as running away from home, truancy, curfew violations, and underage drinking. If you leave home without permission, your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) do have the right to report you as a runaway. In most cases, if seen by law enforcement, runaways are picked up and arrangements are made for youth to return home.

We hope the information provided helps.

Best Wishes
~NRS

Is is legal for a 13 year old to run away in Texas?