Running away to a friends house

[Unregistered]

I am 12 years old and i don't have a good home life. I want to run away to my best friends house. I wanted to know if there are any legal issues with that. I dont want to get her and her family in trouble. I live in Indiana. Is there any run away laws here? Please help

[ccsmod6]

re: Running away to a friends house

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are experiencing problems at home. Have you been able to voice your concerns to anyone else? It seems that you want to know if you can leave at your age without getting yourself or anyone else into trouble. The answer to that question will depend on the city and state you are located in. In most states, the youngest that youth are generally allowed to legally move out is 17 or 18. In some states, youth may file for emancipation. Most states have an age minimum for youth in order to file for emancipation which is generally 16.

Generally speaking, if you are under the legal age of majority in your state and leave home without permission, you are considered a runaway. In general, the police do not actively search for runaways. However if you are listed as a runaway and come into contact with the police, chances are they will contact your parents/guardians to make arrangements for your return home. If a runaway report is filed, charges can be filed against someone suspected of abiding or harboring a runaway. How likely will the charges hold up in court is another question and unfortunately we do not know the answer.

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be reached by dialing 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Our hotline is confidential, anonymous, and toll-free. In addition to our hotline, you can receive live assistance via CHAT between 4:30pm and 11:30pm.

Best Wishes
~NRS

[CoCr00273]

12 and whant to run away

I was.wondering what if i ran away.... My life sucks my parents hate me i hate my family.im getting into drugs and.i don't think i should be there.. If i went to my friends house and live there if the police found me what would thay do... I live in Canada New Brunswick

[ccsmod0]

re: 12 and whant to run away

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out tonight. It certainly sounds like you're going through a lot with your parents and your family. Running away can be tricky and can come with unknown outcomes or consequences, so it was smart of you to reach out for some guidance. Let's see how we can help you out.

We aren't legal experts here and we are based in the United States. We know generally as to what might happen in the states, but we aren't sure what the laws and rules are in Canada. You're asking good questions and we wish we could answer them for you. One option that you have to find out the answers is to contact your local police department and ask them things like, "How would you respond to a 12 year old who left home without their parent's permission? Would you force them back home? Could the person that the 12 year old stays with get into trouble?" Reaching out to the police might be one way to get those answers.
It sounds like you're trying to make your life better and get some support that you deserve. Who else have you reached out to in order to get that support? Sometimes when we are feeling really down, it's helpful to find someone we trust and speak with them.

We hope that this is helpful to you. If you'd like to talk more or have any questions at all, call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). If you can't 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 to you,

NRS

[Unregistered]

Runaway

I am 13 years old and I wanna run away to my best friends house but I don't wanna get her and her family in any trouble with the law and I wanna runaway because I'm not being treated fairly at home and my parent gets me in trouble more than the others way more and because my siblings don't go anywhere Its like i can't either like they don't want me to be happy or have fun..I live in Tennessee is there any issues or laws that I should be concerned about

[ccsmod2]

Re: Runaway

Hey, thanks for reaching out to us. We’re sorry to hear you feel you aren’t being treated fairly at home. That’s got to be tough. You ask if there are any legal issues you should be concerned about if you run away from home and stay at your friend’s house. Running away is not illegal but it is a status offense, which means the police could detain you until they release you to your parents. Much more serious is the fact that anyone you stay with could be accused of harboring a runaway, which is a crime.

Running away is a really big decision to make. There are a lot of other things to think about besides just the law. Fortunately, you don’t have to face this decision alone. We’re here to help you think things through and make a good decision one way or another. We might also be able to talk about some alternatives to running away that you can think about. Call us any time! 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

[Unregistered]

I ran away

I just ran away from home im only 14 about to be 15 in a couple of weeks im staying over at a friends house i live in Houston tx how bad may the crime be if the cops find me at my friends house

[ccsmod1]

RE: I ran away

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us for help. It sounds like you are in a tough situation. Since you are under the age of 18, if you leave home you could be considered a runaway. This means that your parent or legal guardian could call the police, who might force you to return home. Running away is not a crime, however anyone who allows you to stay with them could risk criminal charges for harboring a runaway. We are not legal experts, and laws are different in every state. In general, harboring a runaway might be considered a misdemeanor offense, so if your parent pressed charges against your friends for harboring a runaway, they risk getting into trouble. We are here to listen and support you however we can, so please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you want to talk about your next steps. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.

[Unregistered]

Re: Running away to a friends house

hi I want to run away to a friends house. if I told my parents that I ran away just to cool down and told them I was with somebody I trusted and that I was safe, would I be considered a run away. I live in Texas

[ccsmod16]

Re: Running away to a friends house

Hi There,

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like things at home are tough for you. It’s good that you are reaching out to talk about your options and thinking through a safe place to be.

If you left home without your parent’s permission, this is considered running away. However, we know that running away from home is not illegal. So you cannot get into trouble with the law for leaving home.

When you leave home, it’s always best to get permission from your parents before you leave – even if it’s for a short time. The reason getting permission is important, is because from a legal perspective any adult that is allowing you to stay at their house without permission is “harboring a minor”. These adults could get into trouble for doing this if your parents decide to press legal charges against them.

Is there any family or friend that your parents would give you permission to stay with while you cool down?

Do you have anyone you can talk with about the situation at home? It can be helpful to have a friend or relative that you trust to talk with you about what’s going on at home and help you think through the best and safest options for you if you decide to leave home.

If you want to talk more about this situation and your options, feel free to call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY. Good luck!

NRS

[Unregistered]

I'm 16 about 17 and my parents are mad and won't talk to me bc they found stuff on my phone that some people asked me for pics and stuff and there super mad. my friends said that she will come pick me up at my house and I can stay with her would that be bad and do you think my parents would call the cops or beat me

[ccsmod10]

RE:

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It's a great first step to finding the information and help that you may need. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation right now with your parents being upset with you. Sending pictures and other things of this nature to other individuals can be quite alarming to parents. If this is something that recently occurred sometimes people need some time to process difficult topics or figure out how to handle the situation. Maybe within some time a conversation between you all can happen. We offer a conference call service that could be of some assistance to you. It would include a NRS representative facilitating safe conversation to allow both you and your parents to express themselves and come to some sort of compromise.

You mentioned possibly having a friend come pick you up. If you feel like leaving home is your best option some things things to think about Some things to think about for the future if you will continue your education. How long do you anticipate on being gone or being able to stay where ever you may be? How will you support yourself or whom you will be staying with be willing to support you financially with food, clothing, other personal expenses/ allow you to stay rent free? What if things do not work out here in the future, what will be your back up plan? We could also help find some possible shelters in your area if you need another safe place to stay.

Another important detail is thinking about what your parent’s reaction will be. You mentioned having some questions regarding this. We wouldn't be able to confidently say what their exact reaction might be if you were to leave home. We are not legal experts here, but typically being under the age of what your state considers to an adult (usually 18 ), you would need permission from your parents to leave. It is not illegal to runaway or leave home without permission, but it would mean that your parents could file a runaway report. The police would then be required to return you home.

We hope this was helpful.
Best Wishes,
NRS

[Unregistered]

I'm 14 and I want to runaway

I'm 14 and I'm being physically bullied and cyber bullied at school I have tried to commit suicide multiple times I want to runaway and live with my boyfriend his family will be fine with me living with them and he said he would pick me up my parents found out about the bullying a few days ago and I have been trying to avoid school but now my depression has been worse anxiety is worse and I just want to be happy I live in Trinidad not the United States and I just need some advice

[ccsmod8]

RE: I'm 14 and I want to runaway

Hello there –

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, and we understand it takes courage to reach out for help. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: http://www.childhelplineinternationa...where-we-work/ Another resources that you might be able to try is a stop bullying website that can give you some tips or ways to manage with the different types of bullies that you have been dealing with. That website is (www.stopbullying.gov).

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

[Unregistered]

Help

My best friend wants to run away to my house. He is 16. And he has home problems. I completely understand his reasoning. And he's a good kid. Not crazy or anything. But is there any legal issues with this? I live in Texas. Also, technically, his moms exact words were "get in the car and I'll drop you off somewhere. You can pack your bags and leave" and yes, she said this in a moment of anger. But isn't that consent? So can't he move out?