Mississippi Runaway

[Unregistered]

I've considered running away a few times. I've mentioned it to my parents, mainly my mom, and every time I do they threaten to call the police and have me arrested. There isn't any physical abuse, no neglect, but I feel as though there is some emotional abuse centered around my anxiety and depression. I've tried talking things out with them and nothing ever works out and I always end up more frustrated and upset to the point of feeling trapped. I'm a minor, but will be 18 in 2014. Is it illegal for me to runaway in Mississippi?

[ccsmod8]

re: Mississippi Runaway

Thanks so much for reaching out to talk with us about what’s going on. Depression and anxiety can be tough to deal with and it seems like family issues are making them even harder. It can be really hard to talk with parents about how you are feeling, and it’s great that you have tried, but definitely seems frustrating that nothing is getting better. Is there anyone else in your life that you feel is a safe and supportive person you can talk to? Sometimes having someone a step removed from the situation can be helpful to talk with. If you’d like, we are here 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY if you ever want to call.

It sounds like you are aware that running away may have consequences. We’re certainly not here to tell you what to do, but to help you make the best decision for yourself. While we’re not legal experts, we can tell you that in most places leaving home without permission is considered a status offense. What that means is that if you did runaway, the police would then return you back home. It is generally not against the law to runaway, but if you were to stay with someone, they could be considered to be harboring a runaway which is often considered a criminal offense. If you have other legal questions, you can call your local police through the non-emergency line. If there is anything else we can do, please feel free to call us as mentioned or to chat with us from 4:30-11:30pm CST.

Take care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

is it illegal Mississippi

Im a minor and I dont wanna tell the reason why I wanna run away but is it illegal if I run away in the state of Mississippi. If I went to another state well it consider being a crime? My parents and adults say I could go to jail if I left. How is that. They are very upset with me and close to hitting me. They haven't yet but I dont wanna take that chance. Is it illegal to run away from Mississippi to another state? Please tell me cause I dont wanna go to jail

[ccsmod11]

is it illegal in Mississippi

Hello. Thanks for reaching out to us. We’re sorry to hear that your situation at home has made you feel that it would be better to leave. It’s definitely not ok for someone to hurt you, and we hope that you’re in a safe place. You asked about the legality of leaving home, and we’ll do our best to answer your questions. We’re not legal experts, but as far as we understand it, it’s not illegal to run away. Running away is considered a status offense (similar to getting a parking ticket). If you leave home, your legal guardians have a right to file a runaway report with your local police department. Depending on what your police department does, they may look for you, they may not. Usually, if the police look for you, they bring you back home unless you’ve done something illegal while you were outside of your parent’s care. Because laws vary from state to state, we can’t tell you with certainty what consequences you might see if you go to another state. The best way to know what consequences you might face is to contact your local police department. If you feel like you need additional support, we are available 24/7 and completely free and confidential at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also reach out to us by chat from 4:30-11:30pm CST through our live chat at 1800runaway.org. Feel free to reach out to us.

[Unregistered]

I am 14 and school is stressing me out severly, I can't talk to my stepgrandma becuase she doesn't know how to lisen and my grandpa doesn't believe in running away becuase of stress and if I run away to a very very close friends where his/her mom has already said I could would I be able to move in with them they have the room for me and I live in Mississippi , would I go to juvinile or have to pay fines if I ran away or would anyone else like if I told the police that I wouldn't be as stressed with the family I want to be with becuase I don't want them to get into trouble, and I would enroll in home schooling with my friend that I'll live with
I just need to know if I can legally move in with this family once I have ran away I don't wanna be put in a foster home

[ccsmod6]

Re:

Hello there,

Thank you for writing to us through our online forum here at NRS. From what you shared, it seems you are having some difficulties at school and at home with your grandparents where you feel like running away. You ask some important questions about possible consequences of running away. We unfortunately are not legal experts, but legally you a young person is unable to legally leave home unless they reach the age of majority (generally 18 in most states). If you were to live with your fried's family without permission from your grandparents (guardians) then a runaway report can be filed and the family you stay with may face legal trouble because "harboring a runaway" is illegal. Every state deals with runaway cases differently where some youth may go to juvenile detention. It may be best to check in with local authorities or legal aid for more of a specific legal answer. If you need help reaching out to those resources we can also help by conference calling with you and the resources. It sounds like you may benefit from talking with someone such as a counselor or a trusted adult like a teacher or another family member. We can offer those type of resources as well.

We hope you reach out soon so that we can help during this tough time.

Take care,

NRS

[help plz]

what happens to me if i run away at 16??

Hi there , I've just turned sixteen and I'm just ready to give up and leave my house my mom is rude lies to my face sometime I feel like she doesn't care about me I have emotional problems and I'd like to run away and live with one of my friends, I live in the state of Mississippi wha happens if I run away ??

[ccsmod0]

Re: Mississippi Runaway

Thank you for using our bulletin service.
Its sounds like you are going through a real hard time at home. We cannot imagine the emotional rollercoaster that you have to deal with. It is understandable as to why you would want to leave a house where your mom lies to you and does not care about you.
You asked what would happen if you ran away, for anyone under the age of 18 the parents have the right to make a runaway report. Since it’s only considered a status offense and not a crime to run away, the only thing that would happen is that the police will pick up the youth and bring them back home. This is of course if they had any interaction with the police directly. If the youth is found to be living with anyone else the person that they are staying with could be charged with harboring a runaway, which is a misdemeanor offense. You can find out more about how runaway’s reports are carried out by contacting your local police department. If you would like we could contact your local non-emergency number for you or with you. Just give us a call and one of our trained liners would be happy to assist you.
You have to be dealing with a lot at home. We hope that you consider giving us a call.
1-800-RUNAWAY

[Harley]

Runaway Problems

I'm almost 16 Because of my mother hitting me and my 18 year old sister trying to get me to be a prostitute with her, i wanted to runaway. I stayed at my boyfriends house for 3 days then went back home last tuesday only to find out my mother moved back to lauderdale county, without me, of course. my sister came to pick me up a few days later but i didnt go with her, I just turned off my phone and went to a hiding spot. I am with an adult and about to try to be emancipated. If they find me what happens to me? I'm not with my boyfriend I havent talked to him yet, I'm not going back to my family obviously and anxiety and derpression also have something to do with this. I have been suicidal living with my mother and sisters, but im doing alot better now and my goal is to be emancipated to get back in school. What can they do to the adult im with? Is there anyway the justice court system can help me succeed in this? If not, im not going to go to them.

[ccsmod9]

RE: Runaway Problems

Hello there,
Thanks for reaching out to us here on the NRS forum.
We’re so glad you decided to come to us. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot lately and we really want to let you know how brave we think you are. We’re sorry to hear about how your mother abuses you and left you behind.
It sounds like everything that has been happening has been really hard and it’s understandable that you’d consider something like suicide as a means to feel control over the situation or a way to escape. If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed, like you just can’t take anymore, please consider reaching out to the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
We’re here for you too. We want you to know that if you ever want to talk about your feelings, whether it be about your mother hurting you and leaving you behind or your sister trying to get you to prostitute, we’re confidential so we’re a safe place to talk. We can be reached here at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Also, if you think your sister might be unable to get out of her situation or you’re getting involved without any control over the situation, you could always reach out to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 for help getting out.
If your mother has left you behind, do you think it’s likely she’s filed you as a runaway? If she has, your boyfriend might face legal consequences if you’re found at his place. This is only if the police find you there, of course. If you haven’t been filed as a runaway, it doesn’t seem like the police would be looking for you. However, your mother leaving you behind could be considered neglect and you have the right to report this. If you wanted, you could call in here and we could help you file a report. If you wanted to know more about reporting in general, please visit www.childhelp.org.
It’s hard to say if the justice court would have anything to do with this, but if you plan on filing for emancipation you may have to talk to someone there eventually. If you have any specific legal questions we could refer you to a legal aid resource.
It’s not clear if you’re in a safe place at the moment. If you wanted us to look into shelters for you in your area, we can help do that. We wouldn’t be able to post these resources here, but if you called us or reached out on our Live Chat. Our number one priority is to keep you safe, so please us know if you’d like us to help.
Stay Strong,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Re: Mississippi Runaway

hey im 18 years old and don't want to live with my grandparents Anymoore. My friend has been telling me to come live with her until I graduate, my dad moved out when he was 16 years old and he told me to leave too but im not sure if I should. what should I do.

[ccsmod9]

Re: Mississippi Runaway

Hello,
Thanks for posting on the National Runaway Safeline forum. We really appreciate you taking the time to come to us. It sounds like there’s a big decision ahead of you about where you should live. Making these types of choices can be really challenging, especially since before you make the decision, it’s really hard to know how the outcome will be. We really admire your courage for taking the time to weigh your decision responsibly.
We’re not here to tell you what to do. We can certainly talk about the situation in more detail and help you consider each option carefully. We’ll talk about pros and cons of each place to live and explore what options are available to you.
If you’d like, you could give us a call directly and we can talk about this issue together. We’re available 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).
Best of Luck,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Bout to be 17

Hey, I have been searching up and I am about to be 17 soon and I don't feel any love here at home anymore and I have already been accepted to move in with a close friend and I would be took care of and still go to school if I run away the day of my birthday will the cops come get me and bring me back home? Or would i be fined with any charges I live in mississippi

[ccsmod2]

re: bout to be 17

Hey there,

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.

NRS

[Unregistered]

run away?

I've constantly had problems with my parents ever since i became a Pentecostal. My mom belittles me about being one, she tells me constantly that i cant be a Pentecostal in her house. She told me to pack my bags and move in with my church family a couple days ago... I want to run away but i know it'll be trouble some for everyone. I heard of getting emancipated but i don't know if my mom would go through with it. I'd have a place to live and a way to contact her, but i dont know if she'd let me.