Missouri moving out at 17

[Guest]

Hello i am turning 17 in a couple months and i do not want to be under my fathers roof i feel like i can handle myself i have a job and everything i mean i pretty much take of my self and im wanting to know the consequences on if i moved out on my birthday to my friends house he is a guy but not my boyfriend and he has a steady leaving environment which is healthy to where i can stay now my father will not agree but what would the law say bc my dad will be on a boat a month and off a month so i will not be under is full on care so what is the law going to do? In Missouri ***** *****

[ccsmod11]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us to help you decide about this situation. It sounds like you’re going through a lot at home and are thinking of leaving. This is surely a difficult time for you, and we’re sure you’ve been enduring a lot. Hopefully we can help.

We’re not legal experts, so what we tell you may not apply in your community, even if it applies in most of the U.S. If you leave home without permission from a guardian, you can be reported to the police as a runaway. Usually, if a runaway report is filed on a youth, the police are authorized to search for the youth and return them home. In most parts of the U.S., running away is not illegal and won’t result in a youth getting arrested or fined. Adults who you stay with could be charged for harboring a runaway, which is a very rare charge, but a charge you may want to know about. Penalties for this charge vary widely across the U.S. You may want to talk to your local non-emergency police department if you are interested in learning more about the consequences for running away where you live.

Hopefully this helped. Thanks so much for reaching out to us. If you have any questions or want to talk more, please call us at 1-800-786-2929.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

hi, i just turned 17 and i live in a very abusive home with my grandparents. my parents are drug addicts and don't really care what happens to me. i have a steady place to live. would i be able to move out?

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are sorry to hear that you are living in an abusive home, and the issues with your parents. Abuse is never okay and you don't deserve to be treated that way. You have the right to report the abuse, you could contact CPS or Child Help (1-800-422-4453) to explore your options and get information on how to transfer custody. In most states a person has to be at least 18 before they are able to move out. You could try asking your grandparents if they would allow you to stay with another family member or close friend. If you move out without consent, your family has the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, if the police find you they may return you home. Running away isn't against the law but if you were to stay with a friend, they could get charged with harboring a runaway. However, some police departments do not accept runaway reports for 17 year old's. You may want to consider contacting your local police through their non emergency phone number to ask about their runaway policy. If you have any questions or just want to talk, please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.

[Guest]

If a 17 moves in to his girlfriend who is 16 with consent of girls family where does that stand in mo.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, we are glad you reached out. We are here to help.
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

We are here 24/7 if you ever need more help! Call or reach out via online chat

[Guest]

Hello my sister is going to be 17 soon and she wants to move back with her mom which they both share custody if she leaves my dad's house would the police bring her back

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are not legal experts and every case would be different and dependent on the nature of their specific custody agreement. She would need to talk to her mom about whether she is able to live with her or not. If you want to talk more to a liner about this or want to walk through all of her options, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Needing out ASAP

i turn 18 4/30/19 and I cannot stand my parents and younger siblings. My parents yell at me for not knowing what to do after high school but everything I say I want to do I get shot down like a plane during a war. My siblings hurt me (ex. Brother kicks me in the mouth and Makes me bleed) I get in trouble and they get away with it. I just finished my summer vacation and it was terrible. I cried myself to sleep every night over the summer. They are emotionally, verbally, and mentally abusive. They make me think that I can’t do anything right and that I’m a worthless waste of space. I don’t have a phone, a job, or my license and am treated like I’m five years old. I am wanting to move in with one of my good friends. We are both girls so there’s nothing to worry about there. My boyfriend has to wait until after graduation to move out so that he can get the title to his car from his parents. I can’t take 8 more months of being pushed around and being called a dumb f*** up and being called worthless. My grandma is the only one that understands me in my family but I can’t move in with her because she will just make me go back to my parents house. Please help me. I NEED OUT BEFORE I DO SOMETHING TO MYSELF!!!!

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you so much for reaching out. It sounds like things between you and your family are really tense right now. You definitely don’t deserve to feel like you’re worthless and you never deserve to be abused in any way. You are awesome and resilient. Your life matters and your well-being is important! You mention that you are concerned that you will “do something” to yourself. If you ever feel like you’re in danger of hurting yourself, you can always call 9-1-1 for help. Another resource that could be helpful is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
It sounds like you want to move in with one of your friends. It’s great that you have someone who is supportive and able to take you in. Generally speaking, you would need to be 18 to leave home without parental consent. So the first step could be to ask your parents for permission to stay elsewhere. Another option would be to go without permission; keep in mind, though, that in most states your parents will have the right to file a runaway report and if the police are able to find you they may return you home. All of that being said, if you do decide to leave it could be a good idea to think about the following: how long you can stay with your friend, where you’ll get food and money, where you’ll get a job, etc.
Thank you for reaching out! If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-786-2929. Our lines are open 24/7 so someone will always be here to listen, help you figure out your options, and help you locate resources in your area.

Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

Can a boy move out of re home in the state of Missouri at the age of 17

[ccsmod2]

Hello thank you so much for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and we are here to listen. The age of majority is 18 in Missouri, so technically it would not be legal. If you were to leave your home at 17 and your parents were to file a runaway report it would be considered a status offense. What that means is that you would not go to jail, the police would most likely bring you back home. Because you are so close to being 18 it is unlikely the police would pursue the runaway report. We hope this information helped you. We are here 24/7 so feel free to call or chat with us anytime.

[Guest]

I'm 17 and my mom just married my step father but he is mentally abuse to me and my 2 brothers. He has brain washed my mom who he has made stop taking her depression meds along with me. My real father died almost 2 years ago and it's like he wants.to wipe him from our mind. I have a very safe place to go live with adults who have kids in my school. Can I leave so I can get back on my meds and not get in trouble?

[ccsmod9]

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS! We know that it can take a lot for you to reach out and seek help. We commend your bravery for wanting to explore your options and seeking resources. You do not deserve to be void of anything that might help you cope with life. Nor should you feel unsafe at home.
From what we can gather you want to figure out if you can go live with a family that you know through school. While we aren’t legal experts we can inform you that that sort of arrangement can only be made with the explicit consent of your legal guardian which we assume is mom. This means that you would have to call the police and have them help you with filing the documentation. This will require your mom to write her consent and knowledge that you will stay with that family for a while. If for any reason you choose to runaway to them, because you are 17 you are still considered a minor and therefore your guardian would have the right to file a runaway report. This means that if you run into the police or they find you they will take you back to your guardian’s home. If you happen to be at the family’ house when they find you the family could face charges of harboring a minor in which case the severity of the consequences would vary from state to state.
Again we want to thank you for reaching out to us. We know it can be difficult to be in a tough spot but we want you to know that we are to help and listen as best we can. If for any reason you find yourself with more questions or concerns feel free to reach out to us at our hotline (1-800-786-2929) or out chat option online www.1800runaway.org . We hope that this information can help give you a better view of the options you have.
Best Wishes- NRS

[Guest]

my parents are getting a divorce or maybe not i dont really know but i dont want to live in the house with my father is it legal to move out and live with an 18 year old?

[ccsmod16]

Hello there,

Thanks for contacting National Runaway Safeline. Hopefully we can be of assistance to you today. Divorces are difficult to deal with sometimes and it seems that the possibility of your parents getting a divorce is something that is affecting you. Just so you know, we are not legal experts here at NRS so can only communicate general legal information we are aware of using the resources we have. If you would like more in depth legal advice, it is best you contact a legal service. To answer your question, depending on your age, it is not necessarily legal to leave your home, especially if you have permission from your parents or legal guardians.

However, if you are a minor there may be some legal implications if your legal guardians or parents choose to pursue them. In Missouri, you are not considered a legal adult until you are 18 and once 18, you become legally responsible for yourself. That being said, if you are under 18, legally your parents or legal guardians have the right to determine certain things on your behalf, including where you live. So, if there is a case where you choose to leave the home without permission, for example, and your parents file you as a runaway and/or the police get involved, you are at risk of having to go back home. If you are filed as a runaway and are living with someone who is legally an adult without your parents’ permission, your parents do have the legal right to file what is called Harboring a Runaway. This means that there can be legal action taken against an adult who takes in a minor runaway without the parent’s permission. Of course, if you are 18 and older, this would not apply to you and even if you leave your home as a minor if you are of legal age once and if you have an encounter with the police, this would not apply to you in that case.

Hopefully, this information was helpful for you. We would love to talk to you and assist you further. Feel free to give us a call at our 24/7 hotline 1800-RUNAWAY or chat with us live by visiting 1800runaway.org.

[Guest]

I'm a 17 year old male finishing my final year of high school and 5 months from turning 18 and seven months from going to basic I'm enlisted into the army
With school and a part time job give 25+ hours a week I go to my grandparents every night because they live next to my dad and he recently got remarried and is having issues with me spending my nights there and not with him and every night when I walk in the door I feel he has something to get onto me about and I'm tired of it
is it possible for me to move in with my grand parents
without his consent

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’re going through quite a tough time. We are not legal experts however, this might depend on the age where you are no longer considered a minor in your state. In most states, you are no longer considered a minor at age 18. This means you would then as an adult have the liberty to move out of your dad’s house without parental consent. Another option you might want to consider is taking advantage of our conference call service that we offer. You would be able to call our hotline and do a conference call with your dad to talk over some of your concerns and one of our staff will be on the line to help advocate as needed. If you need any additional assistance please feel free to contact us at any time. We are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Thank you again.

[Guest]

My daughters sister from her fathers EX girlfriend is wanting to move in with her older sister. She lives in Missouri and her older sister lives in Illinois What is legal age for her to do so?

[ccsmod4]

REply: My daughters sister...

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

We appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.

While we are not experts on the law, someone under 18 that leaves home, the parent/guardian may file them as a runaway and they may be returned home. Also, those that a reported runaway stays with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. Anyone found to be assisting or aiding someone to run away may also find themselves at risk legally. For more specifics on the law, you might consider contacting the local non-emergency number for the police. You might also look for a legal aid center in the area. They may be able to answer any legal questions on the subject.

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 or they 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).

Take care,
NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

Hi, I’m going to be seventeen on March fifteenth 2019, I was wondering what I could do if I left the state of Missouri and I went to Florida, i aready have the papers to unenroll myself out of my high school. Would I still be an “legal adult” there as well?

please help me on this! Thanks!

[ccsmod9]

Thanks so much for reaching out to us here at NRS. We appreciate seeking out help and resources. Our hope is to give you the most information we can in order to give you the best ability to make a decision that is best for you. As far as being 17 you are still considered a runaway at 17 if you decide to leave. Even possibly unenrolling is not legal without a parent’s signature. If you choose to runaway there your guardians can make a report. However the likelihood of the police reporting it officially can be less if you left from a state that considers 17 yr. olds a legal adult.
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]

Okay, I live with my mom and my four younger sibling everything is making me go insane from being blamed for something I didn't do to how I react positive or negative. My question is what would happen if a 16-year-old left America to live with a family in a whole other place without their parental consent?