running away to another state

[ccsmod16]

Re: running away to another state

Hey there
Thanks so much for reaching out to NRS! We are more than happy to listen and help. We know that family dynamics can be stressful to work through and we also understand that seeing the people we love struggle can be difficult. It sounds like you really care about your girlfriend and are willing to be the strong support she needs. That is so brave and kind of you.

A main concern you shared was the legal status of helping your girlfriend leave home. Please note that we are not legal experts, but this status relays heavily on whether or not her family files a runaway report. Seeing as your girlfriend is a minor, if she should decide to leave home her dad could file a report because it is a status offense. This report would leave police obligated to take her back home if she should ever be found. If this report is filed and your mother was housing her, this could be considered “Harboring a runway”, however, this varies on state and extent officer / parent wishes to press charges. You did mention that your girlfriend occasionally experiences physical abuse. We are very sorry to hear about this; no one deserves to be treated this way. If she wishes to report this abuse at any point or her safety is every in immediate danger the police is always an option. Feel free to give your friend our number if she should feel the need to further talk about situation.


I hope this message has helped you in anyway. If you do have more legal questions you could give us a call at 1800RUNAWAY and we could connect you to legal aid in your area. We just want you to know we are here to listen and help 24/7. Best of luck and stay positive!
-NRS

Hi, i'm 17 and my girlfriend is 16 and we've been together for a while and she's had quite an awful life and she's been living with her dad who is very verbally and physically abusive, there were times i was on the phone with her and just heard him yell at her for no reason. Me and my girlfriend have been talking and she decided that she wants to run away and live with me (currently i live with my mom) and forget about her old life and we've been planning it and talking it through, but the thing is, she lives in Maryland and i live in California. I want to bring her down to California with me and i want to know just exactly what laws i would be breaking if i did although i am wondering if her dad will even file a missing persons report because he doesnt seem to care much about her. I pretty much want to know, what kind of trouble we could be in? And what if i don't tell my mom she's a runaway? I just really really care about her and want her out of that environment.

[ccsmod6]

Re: running away to another state

Hello and thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you are looking to leave your home and go to another state. We, unfortunately do not provide help to youth who are wanting to leave their home. Our crisis services are to help youth in crisis, homeless, or who have run away. We can offer you resources if you are in need of a safe place/shelter or other resources that may help you in your situation. It sounds like there may be some things going on that may be helpful to talk about, and we are here to listen and to help in any way we can.

If you would like to talk about what's going on or explore some helpful options and resources please consider reaching out by phone or chat.

1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); chat with us by visiting www.1800runaway.org.

Please be safe in your decision and reach out soon.

Best,

NRS

run away to a different state

Hi im **** i live in Maryland im 19 and i have no money but i wanna runaway to California and i dont want to ask anyone for money but i want to be happy and go to California can anyone help me get there

[ccsmod2]

re: running away to another state

Hi there,

It sounds like you are starting to think about what you would do to leave home from your parents. That’s good that you are thinking ahead.

We aren’t legal experts here, but generally speaking leaving home can have some consequences. If you do leave and your parents file a runaway report, you could be taken back to them. We aren’t sure exactly how old you are, but most states could consider you a minor, so anyone you go to stay with could potentially be charged with harboring a runaway. But you could contact the non-emergency police for specific answers on what would happen if a youth left home at your age.

It can be scary to leave home with the potential of being taken back somewhere you don’t want to be at all. That is understandable that you are worried. It honestly is hard to say whether or not you could run away without having to show ID, because we don’t know what resources you are using for running away. That really depends on if you are traveling by public transportation where you would have to show ID to board.

For further support, we strongly encourage you to contact us directly at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), and look forward to your call. Lastly, please note that we offer a live chat via our website at www.1800runaway.org every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST.

Take care and good luck,

NRS

Running away to different state

I want to run away to see my boyfriend & he lives in Pennsylvania, I live in Michigan, my parents will never let me go there to see him and I have been planning and thinking about going for the past few months but I'm scared I'll get caught before I even get the chance to see him. I obviously know that I'll get caught at some point but I wanna know how I can run away without having to show ID.

[ccsmod7]

Re: running way to another state

Hi Stella –

Thanks for reaching out with your questions and telling us a bit about your situation. It sounds like you are planning on running away from California and going to Oklahoma but just not sure what would happen if you did. You mentioned that the last time you left your parents did make a report to the police and you ended up going home. Is there anything going on at home that is making you want to runaway?

It sounds like some of your main concerns are if the police will look for you or find you. We are not lawyers or affiliated with the police so we can’t say for sure what their specific procedures are but we would be happy to talk through the situation with you. In most states the age of majority is 18 so if you are under 18 it is very likely your parents could make a report. When a runaway report goes into the system it is able to be seen by police throughout the country so even if the report was made in California the police in Oklahoma would be able to see it as well. Now keep in mind that in most states running away isn’t necessarily a crime but usually police would pick you up and be required to contact your guardian and return you home. In regards to the bus it may be good to contact the station and just ask what is required to pick up a ticket. Often times you do need an ID in order to pick up a ticket but you can check in with the bus station about their procedures.

It’s difficult to answer some of these questions because we don’t always know how quickly police will respond. It’s good that you are trying to figure out your next steps and how to be safe if you do end up leaving. Keep in mind that you can always reach out to us if you would like to discuss your situation more in depth or need further resources. You can contact us immediately at our 24 hour crisis line 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We also have a live chat available from 4:30p to 11:30p CST. While we can’t make this decision for you we are available to discuss safe options. Our services are confidential and anonymous and there is always someone here to listen and here to help. Take care.

hi, im stella i want to run away to another state . i stay in California and i want to go Oklahoma . i have ran away before and last time i did i got reported but i came back home on my own and every time i run away its to Oklahoma . i wanted to ask if i run away again to Oklahoma on the greyhound bus will the police look for me and will they catch me before i reach Oklahoma or leave the state of California ? and wen i ran away to Oklahoma last time my parents came for me and got me and reported me to Oklahoma police too , so will the police in Oklahoma look for me too if i am in Oklahoma? my questions are
1. when i get on the bus will police stop it ?
2. will the police catch me before i leave the state?
3. can the police stop greyhound buses or contact other police to find the bus ?
4. if i change my look will they know or will they ask for id?
5. can i use a fake name wen i buy the ticket?
6. i know the police will be contacted before i make it to Oklahoma so will the police?
7. is there anything i can do not to get caught and i would love some advice?