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im a 17 yr old runaway. i ran away to a different state and the state that i ran away to hasn't been notified of me running away. i was wondering if it was harder to catch me in the other state. also if i go to the hospital would they catch me or would i be safe?
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re: 17 pregnant runaway
Hi
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. Generally speaking, it is not illegal to runaway in most states. However parents or legal guardians do have the right to report minors as runaways if they leave home without permission. If a runaway report is filed, it will get entered into a national law enforcement database. If a reported runaway come into contact with a law enforcement agent, a search can be performed to determine if the minor is listed as a runaway. If determined to be a runaway, the minor can be taken into custody until contact is made with the parent or legal guardian who filed the report. Generally arrangements are then made for the minor to return home. Runaway minors are not generally actively sought after by the police. Law enforcement agents are usually the only people who can access the database to determine if a youth is a runaway. Therefore you should be able to go to a hospital for care without the hospital staff being able to determine your runaway status.
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.
We hope the information provided helps. Remember if you would like to receive live assistance, we can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are also available via live chat between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST.
Best Wishes
~NRSPlease remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.
National Runaway Safeline
[email protected] (Crisis Email)
1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)
Tell us what you think about your experience!
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My mom is mentally ill and kicked me out, i am 17 and pregnant. She had made no effort to actually check on me until a week after she kicked me out. Now im in a safe place and i am going back to school and getting a job and a drivers license and a car. Now she wants to try and threaten me saying I ran away and she didn't kick me out and that i better tell her where i am or she'll report me as a run away. I'm about to be 18 in 3 months and am about to be a mom. Does she have the legal right to even bring me home after she put both me and my unborn child in danger?Comment
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Hey there,
We're glad you reached out to us, and we know it can be really difficult to talk about the things your struggling with like your mom's mental illness and her kicking you out. If your mother kicked you out, then you would not technically be considered a runaway. It may be beneficial to have documentation of calls, emails or texts you have with your mother that document the situation and why you are fearful to return to her home with your baby. She could file a runaway report and ask the police to return you home, but depending on the laws and police preference in your area, they may choose not to pursue it because of your age and circumstances. You could call your non-emergency police number or legal services to get a better idea of the laws in your area. You can always reach out to us if you want to talk in more depth about your situation.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
Best of Luck,
NRS
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i’m 17 and pregnant and i’m high risk my group home nearly starved me. I wanted to know if i could still make obgyn appointments or at least go to the hospitalComment
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Hey there,
Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a bit about what's going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage and you should be proud of yourself. It's very worrisome to hear that you are not being properly cared for at your group home. If you are currently in CPS custody you may want to speak with your caseworker directly about what's been going on and a need for a new placement. If you are not currently CPS custody you have the right to file a neglect report. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering.
It sounds like you love your baby a lot and care deeply about ensuring their safety. Pregnancy can often be overwhelming and creating a prenatal care plan can be a confusing process. If you do not already have an obstetrician, you can contact Planned Parenthood by going to plannedparenthood.org or by calling 800-230-7526 for some assistance. Your local Planned Parenthood should be able to provide pregnancy planning services, prenatal services, childbirth classes, and postpartum exams for after the baby comes. They can also help you explore options to terminate the pregnancy if that is something you are considering.
If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.
Stay safe,
NRS
We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think
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I’m 16 and I’m pregnant, I left my foster home almost a year ago. My poster parent told me to leave and then filed a runaway report on me. I’m scared to turn myself into social workers because I am in a good, healthy place right now and I don’t want them to take my baby away. Can they take my baby from me? Where would I go if I turn myself in? Would they allow me to stay with my babys’ fathers family?Comment
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Hi, thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It seems that you are in a very tough situation right now, and have a lot going on. It shows a lot of strength for you to be taking care of yourself as well as your child. We are glad that you feel you are in a safe place right now. In regards to your questions about the runaway report and its impact on your current living situation, there is a high chance that you will end up being brought back to foster care if the police do get involved. This is due to the fact that you are under the age of 18, and your foster parents did already file you as a runaway. Here at the NRS we are not experts on legal situations such as the one you are currently going through right now, however they generally do like to keep a new born baby with their mother. There is no guarantee that this will happen if you do end up turning yourself in, but it is a possibility. I understand how this is a very tough situation for you, as well as your child. If you would like to further discuss your situation Please do not hesitate to contact us again through our chat and call services at 1800runaway.org.
It is understandable how this is a very tough situation for you, as well as your child. If you would like to further discuss your situation please do not hesitate to contact us again through our chat and call services at 1800runaway.org. We wish you the best of luck!
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I’m 17 and 20 weeks pregnant. I was have been reporting as a runaway. What will happen if I turn myself in? My birthday is in 3 months my baby could be born days before or after. I work. I’m scared for me and my baby.Comment
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Hi,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We’re glad you reached out to us and are here to help.
We are not legal experts but running away is a status offense for minors in most states who are under the age of eighteen. Once a youth reaches the majority age of their state they are seen as being an adult. If you turn yourself in, the cops may return you home.
Also, it sounds like you love your baby and want to ensure their safety. Pregnancy can often be overwhelming and creating a prenatal care plan can be a confusing process. If you do not already have an obstetrician, you can contact Planned Parenthood by going to plannedparenthood.org or by calling 800-230-7526 for some assistance. Your local Planned Parenthood should be able to provide pregnancy planning services, prenatal services, childbirth classes, and postpartum exams for after the baby comes.
We hope the information provided helps. Remember if you would like to receive live assistance, we can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are also available via live chat.
Best Wishes
~NRS
Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.
National Runaway Safeline
[email protected] (Crisis Email)
1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)
Tell us what you think about your experience!
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I'm 16 and my mom died so I been on my own and about to have a baby and cps is looking for me but it's been a year or so can they take my baby when I have it
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Hello! Thank you for reaching out to the NRS. We are very sorry to hear that your mother passed away and understand it takes a lot of courage to reach out to us. We are here to support you in anyway we can. We are not legal experts but if you felt comfortable calling us, we have several legal aid resources that may be able to help you. We are happy to reach out to these resources with you and help you get the information you need to put a plan in place. We would also recommend discussing this situation with a trusted friend or other relative or loved one. Either way, we are not legal experts but would be happy to discuss all of your options. Please remember you can reach us 24/7 either directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat. https://www.1800runaway.org/
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im 16 and im trying to get pregnant while being a runaway if im pregnant by the time they catch me can they still take me home?Comment
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Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), we are so glad that you did! It sounds like you are going through an extremely difficult situation, being on the run from your foster home on top of being pregnant at such a young age. This is something that most people would have a very hard time dealing with, so it is great to hear that you are in a good and healthy place right now.
While we are not legal experts, we are knowledgeable about some child related laws and the potential implications. We definitely understand your concerns about your baby and ensuring that you remain in a healthy environment once you give birth. It would be more beneficial if we were able to have a more fluid conversation together, so we can better understand your situation and explore some legal aid. We urge you to reach out via chat through this website or on our phone hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are here to help 24/7 and we really hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS
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I’m 17 and i turn 18 in 3 months, i’m having a baby and i’m on my last straw with my mom. she’s either going to kick me out or hurt my baby, i want to runaway but i don’t know what to do or if anyone can help me.Comment
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Hi, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are on the last straw with your mom given the threats she is saying to you. Before you turn 18, it is considered neglect if she were to kick you out and it is never okay for her to hurt you or your baby. We are here to help and support as best as we can. If you would like to talk more about what you are going through and some possible options to help, please either call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS
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