running away to another state

[Guest]

Im 17, im in texas and wanting to go to Washington state. I know in texas theres a loophole saying that if your parents know where you are, they cant force you to come home. Im tired of being treated like a second class citizen i just want to know if this loophole still applies and how itd work if i were out of state.

[ccsmod9]

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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. So as far as the loophole you mentioned there is no loophole that we have heard of that works that way. If you choose to run away and are under the age of 18 your parents have the right to file a runaway report. From there the police can bring you back home no questions asked. If you runaway to another state the state you ran away from are the laws that you are under. So in this case if you ran away from Texas, the laws of Texas would apply to you even though you went to Washington. Anyone who takes you in could faces charges of Harboring a Minor which penalties can vary in every state. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

Me and my gf are planning on running away to get away from her controlling family to any other state other than the 1 we currently live in. (Georgia) Now she is over 18 but she is a ward of the state and her mother has guardianship over her as a minor. And she refuses to show us the documents that have a list of things she would need to get iut of it. Her mother has told us that we cant get married, cant have kids, and if she was to leave that she would be charged as a runaway. Personally i believe it to be a load if bull. But just in case id like to know that if we were to disappear, would we be charged and/or be brought back to ga?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you both are dealing with a difficult situation.
Typically the legal age to leave home is 18 but because of some circumstances that may be different in your girlfriend’s situation. You could call your local police department and ask them if she could leave even if she is a ward of the state.
Running away is not illegal so your girlfriend would not get arrested or charged with a crime. Usually if her mother were to file a runaway report and the police found her they most likely would bring her back home. Because she is 18 years old the police may not take a runaway report.
We hope this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m 17 and will be turning 18 in less than three months. My home is very toxic and my boyfriend’s family has welcomed me to live with them. They live in Oklahoma and I live in Connecticut. Will the police send me home if I’m in another state and almost 18?

[ccsmod9]

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 you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. Even if you are out of state the law applies from where you ran away from. It might be a good idea to wait until you are 18 then you can leave the minute you are 18. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. 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).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

i want to run away to California but i'm afraid i'd get caught even with a disguise. is there a way to not get caught for the time i'm gone? i would probably be gone for about a week to two weeks only because my parents are working through issues and i'm in the middle getting yelled at and slapped and many other things. I feel that if i left for a little while it would give them some time to sort things out without me getting hurt all the time.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. It sounds like things at home are really stressful for everyone, and your parents taking their stress out on you, which is not fair at all. We are here to help youth to be safe and off the streets so we would like to talk with you further about your plan to run away to California.
Maybe we can help you to discover some other options to help you to be safe at home and to not be in the middle of your parent’s issues. The best way for us to help you is if we can talk and listen to you and we have two ways for you to do that; you can call us at 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY) or reach us via live Chat through the website www.1800runaway.org We are here for you 24/7 to listen and help.
We really hope that we will hear from you soon.
Sincerely, NRS

[Guest]

If im a foster kid and I’m running away to a different state would I be able to use my name on a plane ticket? and when I get to the new state when I’m 18 if I was a runaway until then let’s say would I be able to get myself as an adult and out of the care of the county or whatever. I know you said you guys you don’t know exact information jus doing research before doing it.

[ccsmod0]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions. Once you turn 18, you are legally an adult and the runaway report would most likely not affect your ability to travel, unless your guardian's decided to file a missing persons with the police.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. 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).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am from Florida and I bought a plane ticket to California at 13 to take a break from my family. I told my parents and family the truth and once I landed they lied to the authorities and reported me as a runaway. what do i do ? The police thinks im lying. i myself think I’m mentally mature enough to handle things on my own and I am aware of my age and that I’m a child and my parents are responsible for me but I’m coming back to Florida the next week. what are the polices gonna do ?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like you left home without your parent's permission with the intent of returning. Asking for help was a really resourceful and smart thing to do. Even though you do believe you are mentally mature enough to travel on your own, legally your parents are still responsible for you. Because you are considered a minor by law, leaving without permission is considered running away by the police. It is not illegal, but it means that the police and your parents will work to return you home. If the police know where you are, they might detain you until arrangements can be made for you to travel back to your home in Florida. Police action can vary in these situations as it is often up to the officer's discretion what they do.

We are here to listen and help 24/7 if you are need of any resources like a safe place to stay or if you just need a listening ear. We truly want to be a support for you during this time and during your transition back home. You can reach out by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org if you would like to talk more about your situation.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am under 13 and me and my best friend are planning to run away to another country. We wanted to run away because my best friend and I have been suffering from major depression and anxiety. We have been cutting ourselves together. We tried to help each other out. But one day, it got worse for the both of us. We were stressed out, scared, and I have heard voices that actually sounded that it was real! But I stood strong. I decided to not tell anyone but her. Her parents had been ignoring her for her whole entire life. And she has a lot of tuition and even modelling! How tiring! And we both are good students for our school, which gave us pressure and it hurt us more. She decided to run away alone. By herself. To another country. She was planning to earn money herself. I felt very uncomfortable by that thought. So I decided to help. We both tried our best to earn money and we made pretty much more than enough. But we are only so young. Younger than 13!!!!!! but older than 9 ofc.

We are worried that we might get tracked down because of our passports. What should we do?
We really want a new happy life again. We are desperate for one.
Please help!!!!!

[ccsmod0]

Hey there,

We really appreciate you reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. You shared a lot of personal stuff about yourself and your friend. It sounds like you both are struggling with a great deal of stress. It may seem like traveling to another country will make those problems go away, but if you both do have depression and anxiety, those feelings will follow you no matter where you travel to. It might be good to surround yourselves with a good support system outside of one another. You can text NAMI to 741741 or call SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357 if you would like to talk about these feelings of depression and anxiety, as well as your cutting.

When it comes to traveling, it may be difficult for the two of you to travel at such a young age. With many buses, trains, and planes, you have to be older than 17 to be able to travel without an adult. You also might want to consider how you will support yourself financially. It's important to make a plan to set yourself up for the best results if you do plan to leave home.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. 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).

[Guest]

Hey I’m ********* and I’m thinking about running away from home due to issues with my parents. A friend I have in another state is gonna give me shelter but I amd worried about crossing multiple state lines. im transgender and I wanna know
1 will they use my birth name
2 will I be identified as a female
3 after a while will it be nation wide
4 if I change my look will they ask me
5 can they ( the cops) stop busses
6 can they tell other cops to be on the look out for me in other state’s.
thank you for your time

[ccsmod0]

Hey there. Thank you for reaching out to us. We know it's not always easy to share what's going on in your life, and it sounds like you're overwhelmed. Yes to all of your questions. You should also be aware, many shelters will require parents permission if you are not of a certain age, depending on their policy. You can call us at 1-800-786-2929 or chat with us on our website to discuss some of your options in more detail.

[Guest]

Hi I'm Lexi I'm 16 and I wanna run away to californa.. I just don't know if it'll make things worse on my part.. but I also have no money and I'm very concerned on what'll happen if I do run away

[ccsmod0]

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 you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. 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).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

hi i’m angelica,

i really little sister and my mother but i hate my home life and i don’t want to have to deal with my father. i know i’m going to run away at some point but only for a few days. i’m thinking about buying a plane ticket to massachusetts (i live in vegas) and staying there for a few days and then coming back. specifically january 12th - january 16th.

i need a break, my mental health is so so bad right now. i’ve tried to run away multiple times, all failed attempts. i don’t want to cause my family any harm, i just don’t know what to do. maybe i’ll stay with my best friend or my aunt but i’m unsure.

i need advice, it would b so appreciated.
im a minor btw.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you so much for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a rough time right now and we hope we can help out some.
We are not here to give you advice as you know your situation best but we can help you explore options and provide some information for you.
We are not legal experts but we do have general information on the laws. If you were to leave home without permission your legal guardian can file a runaway report. If the police do find you they most likely would bring you back home. Also you mentioned taking a plane, most airlines will not allow you to fly without your guardian present or without having written permission to fly alone.
Mental health is serious and can be frustrating when you are not feeling well. One option you could consider is talking with a school counselor or therapist about what you are going through. Sometimes having someone to talk to can make a really big difference. Another option would be to talk with your mother or a trusted adult about how you are feeling and they may be able to provide options for you. You could also consider talking with your parents how you need a break and seeing if they would allow you to visit a friend or another family member for a few days.
We hope this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and provide support to you. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I won’t say my name but. I’m 17 years old and I plan on running away again. To another state with my boyfriend, I won’t to know if I runway again will the police even bother to look for me again and how do I stay low because I turn 18 in September that is 7 months for now what do I do?

[ccsmod0]

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.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 15 years old and I want to run away. I am dealing with mental issues and I don’t want to make my parents deal with my problems anymore. I have anxiety, depression, ADHD, and a little OCD. I want to leave the state. My father is a detective. Highly trained in the federal forced. I need to avoid getting caught. If I can stay hidden for 3-4 years I will be 18. How can I go about running away?

[ccsmod15]

Hello!
Thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline! It sounds like you are thinking things through before you runaway which is always a good thing. You mention that you are dealing with some mental health issues. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a great resource in regards to mental health. They can provide great support and answer any questions you may have. Their number is 1800-950-NAMI or you can text NAMI to 741741.
Running away can be a confusing or difficult decision. You can call us at 1800-786-2929 or chat with us via our live chat at www.1800runaway.org to discuss more about it. We can provide for you some helpful resources while providing support along the way. We are available 24/7 and are confidential.
Stay safe!
National Runaway Safeline

[Guest]

Hi, I’m a young adult (older than 20 less than 23 yrs. old) and I want to run away but I’m not sure where to go or how to go about it. I’m afraid of ending up on the streets cause as a female I would be exposed to a lot of danger. But I don’t know how much longer I can take being home, it has never felt like home. My mom has been in an abusive relationship in the past with my biological father & eventually he was out of the picture Bc of constant police reports and years of abuse. But entered a new relationship a few years after where he has shown signs of emotional abuse. He does things strategically because he knows of my mom’s past relationship and has children of his own. I’ve even had to speak for him (not putting hands on my siblings) even though he has cause I was pressured to by my parents. It got him out of jail time but it never sit right with me, I know my siblings weren’t easy but they were reacting to his treatment. He does this this thing I’ve noticed for years where he twists stories for his benefit to put other people at fault. Whenever he and my mom would argue in the beginning of the relationship he would throw us out the house and then call my mom begging for us to return and she would because she loves him. As a mom it’s probably difficult for her because she can’t provide a roof over our head on her own. Long story short my life has been very unstable since young and my mom would say she would leave but never has & always changed her mind when they would make up forgetting what happened or justifying it according to whatever he would manipulate in her mind. He’s even manipulated me but I am not in a romantic relationship with him so I can see right through it now. I’m tired of feeling unsafe and unwelcome where I live, I’m currently in college but want to drop cause I can’t even concentrate with everything that goes on here. I want to feel safe, if there is a way I can move to another state and stay at a shelter for a while before I get on my feet please let me know.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you and your family have been put through some difficult emotional situations. You are very supportive of your family and they are fortunate and probably grateful that you have been there. Being caught in the middle of what sounds like domestic violence situation has had to be scary, frustrating and emotionally draining.
We understand you not wanting to return and at the same time hold concern for your mother and siblings. Since you are over 18 you have the freedom to do as you see best for your situation. Staying at a shelter may be an option. If you would like information about domestic violence shelters then you might consider contacting the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233

You are very brave. It takes a certain amount of strength to go through what you have been experiencing. Good for you. NRS is here to listen and here to help.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

So.
I've been wanting to leave for awhile now, but where would I go to, who would I stay with
I'd be leaving my whole world behind
My parents
My girlfriend
My siblings
All would be worried about me
I need to find someplace to go where I can just sit and stay awhile
Any thoughts?

[ccsmod0]

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 you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. We could look up youth shelters in your area if that is something you would be interested in.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

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