17 almost 18, Alaska

[Unregistered]

I turn 17 in less than two weeks and was given an ultimatum between having to quit my job or moving out. I've lived in an emotionally abusive home for too long and can't abide by it anymore, my job was my escape. I told my parents that I would find a new place to live, and was planning on leaving today, but my mother told me if I leave she'll call the police and my place of work and report me as a runaway. Can the police do anything? And does she have any powers with my job?

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us about what's going on; it sounds like you are in a very difficult situation right now. We're glad that you have contacted us for assistance and while we aren't legally trained here we can definitely try to help you find some resources that may be able to give you some concrete answers.

It sounds like you will be turning 17 soon and your mom told you that you need to leave home or quite your job. We are sorry to hear that she said that to you, especially since it sounds like you really enjoy your job. We are also sorry to hear that you have been living in an emotionally abusive home; nobody deserves to feel unsafe at home. Have you told anyone else about what's going on at home or how you are feeling? You may have the option to file a report with Child Protective Services to see if they would be able to help you find a safe place to go.

Again, we aren't legally trained here so I can't say for sure what would happen if you were to leave but we can try to give you a general idea of what may happen. Since you are still a minor, your mom may still be considered your legal guardian which means that she is still responsible for you until you turn 18. She may have the option to file a report with the local police but how they respond is up to them; every police department is different so we can't say for sure what they would do. What could possibly happen is that if they locate you, they may take you home or take you to the police department to call your mom. One thing you may be able to do is call them and talk with an officer about how they would respond. If you aren't comfortable calling on your own, you can call us here and we can try to help you make a conference call to them.

Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we are a confidential and anonymous crisis line for youth. You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our online chat services from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST), 7 days a week and that is located on our website (www.1800runaway.org).

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

~NRS

[Guest]

I’m 21 and I really miss my boyfriend, he lives in California and I want to move back with him. But my dad threatens to sue him, can I still run away with him?

[ccsmod2]

Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you’re in a difficult situation with your dad.
We are not legal experts, but it sounds like you are 21, in which case you are considered an adult in every state, so you do not have to live with your parents.
I’m not sure what your dad would sue your boyfriend for, but even if he were to file a suit, that wouldn’t change your legal status as an adult, so you are still allowed to live where you please. If there was some sort of situation between your dad and your boyfriend and he does sue him for some sort of harm done, your boyfriend may have to get a lawyer to defend himself in court, etc., and that all takes time. You may want to talk to a lawyer if you feel this is a real possibility. If your dad is just threatening to sue for no reason, though, it may just be an empty threat to try to get you to stay with him.
Thanks again for reaching out. It sounds like you’re taking the right steps by reaching out. If you want to provide more information, we are totally confidential and you can call us anytime at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We’re here to listen and help.

[Guest]

i moved from florida a year ago to alaska with a family friend. my dad gave her power of attorney over me. however she’s an alcoholic and she’s super controlling. i’m 17, will be 18 in may. i want to move out and even talked to my dad and he gave me permission to do it but she says that if i leave she’s going to call the cops even though my dad is technically still my legal guardian and not her.. wouldn’t it be up to him if i can legally move out of her house? i have a full time job and an apartment lined up to move in as well but she refuses to let me leave. again all she has is a power of attorney, nothing else.

[ccsmod2]

Hey there!
It takes a lot of courage to reach out! And, it sounds like you’ve been dealing with a lot, but you also seem to have put some thought into this and have a good plan.
We here at NRS are not legal experts. But, it sounds like if this family friend has power of attorney over you they are only able to make legal and financial decisions for you. However, your dad probably still has full custody. Parents are allowed to let their children live with an alternate guardian, so if your legal dad does have full custody of you he can decide to allow you to not have to live with the family friend anymore. As stated earlier, we are not legal experts and laws and rules can differ from state to state. We would be happy to get you connected with a resource for free to very cheap legal advice. We can give this resource to you if you give us a call at 1-800-RUNWAY (786-2929) or chatting with us through our website (https://www.1800runaway.org/)
Thank you again for reaching out. We would love to support you in any way you need. Please feel free to contact us again at any time, we are open 24/7.
Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

My friend is only 17 and lives in Alaska and she wants to leave her home and be on her own because she lives in a house that she feels mentally abused in and it isn’t very healthy for her because I’ve seen and heard it myself is there any way that she can leave and not be forced to go back home?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It seems there is a lot that your friend is faced with right now and you’re wanting to find a way to help them as they mentioned wanting to run away. It’s great that your friend has support and concern from you especially since this time is quite difficult for them. Because they are so close to 18 it is hard to say what would happen. She could always reach out to her local police anonomously and ask how they would handle the stuation.
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.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We’re here to listen and to help and hope you or your friend can reach out soon.
Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I’m 17 nearly 18, in March. I have a full time job, I pay the payments for my vehicle. I no longer want to live in the same house as my mother, there are 10 people who live in this household and it’s very crowded. I have a place to stay with my boyfriend, most of my things are at his house. I don’t want to be here, I’m tired of living with my mother and I want out as soon as possible. Is there a legal loophole I can take to move out quicker? I can’t afford emancipation. Please help me

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to write us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation. It sounds like living at your mother's house is a very stressful and overwhelming environment to be in. It's understandable you would want to move and live more independently. Your mother is your legal guardian until you turn 18 which means she is responsible for you. Leaving as a minor can be challenging. Emancipation would be one way, but as you mentioned it can be a lengthy and difficult process. Other than going through child protective services if your safety is a concern, you would need your mother's permission to leave.

If you leave home without permission, your mother can report you as a runaway to the police. Running away is not illegal, but it is a status offense. This means your mother can ask police to return you home if she knows where you are staying. In some cases, police are more lenient about this with someone who is so close to turning 18 and might not force you back home. You can call the local police department's non-emergency line to speak with an officer about your situation. You can ask if they would even take a runaway report for you and if you would be forced home considering the circumstances.

We hope this information helps. If you would like to talk more about your situation or you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We are available 24/7 for immediate support by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Stay safe and good luck,
NRS