I'm 16 and pregnant and want to move out, can I?

[Guest]

I'm 16 and currently 31 weeks pregnant, I want to move out but my dad won't let me. I don't like being home the father of the baby is older than me and he has supported me throughout the pregnancy he's given me money and he's bought stuff for the baby. I would like to go live with him could I get emancipated with out the court knowing where I live and who I am with? Or if I do "run away" would I have to go back to live with my dad? I hate living here, my stepmom said she was going to punch my stomach and smash the baby's head in and she made a fist and then she came at my stomach but I moved and she just laughed like it was the most funniest thing on earth, my half sister was there too and she was also laughing and was encouraging her. She always tells me offensive things. My brothers also call me names like pregnant slut or whore and I just don't feel comfortable at home. Could I runaway and not get taken back?
Also is it possible for me to get emancipated? I have my ged and I would like to work after the baby is born. But could I get emancipated before I start working and with no proof of being supported by anyone?

[ccsmod15]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We’re sorry to hear you’re having such a difficult time at home. It’s NOT ok that your stepmom and brothers are treating you that way. No one deserves to be threatened or abused verbally or otherwise. You’re very brave for putting up with it and trying to seek out alternative options for yourself because you deserve to be in a loving and supportive environment. It’s great that the father of your baby is helping you and that you have someone on your side. Unfortunately it most likely won’t be possible for you to be emancipated without being able to prove that you can support yourself financially and live independently. It’s also not possible for the court not to know your whereabouts. If you ran away, your parents could file a runaway report; what this means is they would file a report with the police and if they police found you, they would most likely bring you back home. Running away isn’t a crime, it’s a status offense but if you’re staying with someone – they might get charged with harboring a minor. It sounds like you’re in a pretty tough situation and we’d love to talk to you on the phone to see if there’s any more options we can come up with to suit your unique situation. We’re here 24/7 so don’t hesitate to give us a call whenever at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,
NRS

[Guest]

Im 15 year old im have my baby when im 16 i went to doctor today and they say im am emancipation which means im am an adult she said all my medical records are all mine and also said i can make my own choices when im 16 and have the babe i wanna move out of my house can i cuz im emancipation

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes courage to seek help. It sounds like want to move out, the easiest way to leave home as a minor is with parental consent. You could ask your guardian if they would allow you to stay with another family member or close friend. You can look into emancipation laws for your state. If you would like to get emancipated, you can contact us directly for local resources. Please feel free to contact us via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.

[Guest]

My grand daughter is 16 and pregnant. Shes been living with me for 4 months I'm the one who supports her financially,mentally,and physically. We have a very close bond. Well after 4 months of caring for her and getting her all set up with prenatal care and signed up for wic and public assistance her stepmother and the man who signed her birth certificate ( Not the biological father) decides to turn her in as a run away and call dfs. Now they are saying that if she returns back to me that dfs will take her baby when she gives birth. If she is able to sign her own legal documents and make her own adult decisions is considered of age to do what she decides? We live in Montana.

[ccsmod3]

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. This sounds like a difficult situation. It has great that you have been able to support your granddaughter in the ways that you have. It shows that you care for her. We are not legal experts, but because your granddaughter is still a minor whoever is her legal guardian is legally responsible for her and her whereabouts. They would have to give her permission to live elsewhere. You or your granddaughter could always reach out to us to retrieve some legal resources that we have. You can call us at 1800-786-2929 or chat with us on our website at www.1800runaway.org to get that information. We would also be willing to talk about anything else that might be going on and offer resources accordingly.
In regards to her being pregnant, if she would need any other resources due to the fact that she cannot stay with you we have some resources she may find valuable. Heartbeat International is one resource which helps pregnant women. Their number is 1800-712-4357. Another resource would be Planned Parenthood. Their number is 1800-230-7526. Both of those resources can help her during her pregnancy if she needs anything.
Please reach out of you need anything further.
We’re here to listen, here to help.
National runaway Safeline

[Guest]

I am currently pregnant being 16, I am living with my grandparents, they have full custody of me. My father who isn’t my biological father but he signed my birth certificate wants to take custody of me, i want to move in with him. Do I have a choice if he isn’t my biological father? Can I make that descision myself?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to listen and here to help. Wow it seems like you are going through a really difficult time and we are sorry you are going through that. And as far as your step mother making threats you could report that to your doctor or the police and say how you feel unsafe in that situation.
We are not legal experts but we do have general information on the laws. If you were to run away, because you are a minor your parents do have the right to file a runaway report. If the police did find you and they deemed it safe to go back home they most likely would bring you back home. For emancipation they usually need to see that you could financially support yourself, so if it was your partner that was supporting you the court would probably have to know. Emancipation can be different in all states, so you could consider going to your local court house and asking how emancipation works. We do want you to know that emancipation does take anywhere from 6 months to a year and can be costly.
Also you do not deserve to be called names, just know that you are not the names they call you and it is their insecurities. If you need resources for your pregnancy your doctor may be able to suggest some or we can also help provide resources.
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 and stay strong!
NRS

[Guest]

Me and my girlfriend are 16 and she might possibly be pregnant. We are afraid of her dad attacking me when we tell them and she wants to move in with me and my parents. Because the house she lives in is not suitable for a baby. Can we both get married by the court and get emancipated?

[ccsmod9]

Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline and sharing your experience with us. It is a courageous step to take that is not always easy. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation. Becoming pregnant and feeling unprepared or unsure of what to do next can be a scary thing to face. We are always here to listen and help as best as possible. Taking this step by step can help to make this stressful time a little less overwhelming. Identifying people in your life that you can trust to support you during this time may be a good start to seeking help and exploring your options.

If you suspect that you may be pregnant or are currently unsure, confirming pregnancy is a good first step. This can look like purchasing a pregnancy test after you have missed a menstrual period or you can get this confirmation by possibly going to a local clinic for a blood test.

If you are pregnant, proper health care can be important in whatever you choose to do. One way to reach a doctor and find useful resources that specialize in women’s health/pregnancy is to contact Planned Parenthood at 1800-230-7526 or go to their website at https://www.plannedparenthood.org/.

If you’d like additional support or resources please call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY 24 hours, 7 days a week or chat with us online by going to www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

[Guest]

Hi i was wondering if I'm pregnant at 16 can my parents make me have an abortion if I didn't want to? Could my mom make me and my baby not see my boyfriend/the father? Can I decide to move to my boyfriends house legally once I'm 17 if the place is good and take care of the baby?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension - especially since your parents are pressuring you to do something with your body that you don't want to. Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

As abortions laws can vary widely from state to state it may be a good idea to contact your local Planned Parenthood for information about abortion laws, the options available to you, or for free or low-cost prenatal care during your pregnancy. You can find out more about Planned Parenthood by calling 800-230-7526 or going to plannedparenthood.org. It may be a good idea to talk with your boyfriend about a custody agreement for the baby. You may want to find a legal aid office near you to help with this. You can find information by going to lawhelp.org.

We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if you do opt to leave your home your parents can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned to your parents.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am currently a runaway. I visited my boyfriend along my “journey” as a runaway and im pregnant. Im afraid to go to the hospital cause they might bring me home. My mom doesn’t even have a home shes homeless and very toxic. She abuses my stepdad, me and my sister not only mentally but verbally and physically. I don't wanna go back. Is the hospital required to send me home?

[ccsmod16]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today. We are here to help.
We are not legal experts here at NRS but we do have some information on runaway laws in general. What we know is that in order for anyone to know you are a runaway, typically your parent would need to file a runaway report with the police. This lets the police know you are gone and if they find you, they may return you back home. You may want to consider if your mom would have filed one.

We aren't sure how old you are, but some police departments take reports for anyone under the legal age of adulthood (18 in most states). Some stop at 16 or 17.5 since they are so close to legal age. There is no way to know unless you call and ask your police department anonymously, which we can also do with you if you want to call us at 1-800-786-2929.

As far as the hospital reporting you, we are not sure about the laws regarding that. We know people working in hospitals are mandated reporters, so if you told them about any abuse by your mom, they would have to report that.

We do have some resources for pregnancy so if you are interested, feel free to live chat us on this website or call us at -1800-786-2929 and we can help you with that! Best of luck and hope to talk with you soon!

[Guest]

Hi I live in New York my girlfriend might be pregnant she's 16 almost 17 she wants to live with me so I can help with the baby and cuz it's more safe at my place how would we be able to get her to leave her mom's and dad's

[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 girlfriends 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 she is under 18 and leave home, her parents/guardians may file her as a runaway and she may be returned home. Also, those she stays 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]

Im currently 16 and pregnant and my mom said she will not let me gets jobs, won't let me graduate early (cause I can), won't take me to appointments. Says that when my baby is born, she will take me to court and deem me unfit. What can I do? How can I leave?

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. The way your mother is treating you sounds unfair and unjust and it makes sense that you want out of that situation. A place to start might be reaching out to a teacher or a counselor at school. They may be able to help you with the graduation ordeal as well as advocate for you as a parent-to-be and as a youth. Additionally, it may be a good idea to start contacting legal resources in order to find out what your rights are and what your mom is legally allowed and not allowed to do. Additionally, we can look to see if there are any youth shelters that are near to you. We would be happy to help you locate these kinds of resources just give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Im currently 16 yers of age. And im currently pregnant of 7 weeks and my mom is constantly drinking every day with her anti-physoctics and she has chokes me out b4 she. Beat my brother when he was living here she has also has had sexual relations with my brothers. Not to mention she is verbially abusive. Mentally abusive and when she gets mad she talks crap on me. I dont think she is mentally stable to be a caregiver bc she. Constantly blames. Her kids for the way she is and the reason she wants to kill herself now she threating me to calm the cops on me for being voilent bc i say certain things. To certain people bc i have no filter. I just need to get out of here b4 i lose my baby due to the cause of extreme stress and anxiety. Not to mention i have multiple places i can go with family but my dad does not. Want anything to do with me. So i just need to find a way out before i meet my snapping point. She constantly drinks and has alot of people around me drinking. The only one able to calm me down is my boyfriend /the father of this baby. Im just really scared for my safetyand the safety of my baby . my brothers and sisters moved out at the age of 16. But she will not let me leave and i cant take it no more. I feel like something bad will happen if im not removed from this home soon! -

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension - your mother's current and past behaviors are completely unacceptable and you deserve to live in a secure environment where your safety and the safety of your baby is guaranteed.

You mentioned some things about your mother drinking to excess, strangling you, and sexually abusing your brothers - this raises a lot of concern for your safety and well-being. Absolutely no one deserves to be abused. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering. It may also be a good idea to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.

It sounds like you love your baby a lot and care deeply about ensuring their safety. Pregnancy can often be overwhelming and creating a prenatal care plan can be a confusing process. If you do not already have an obstetrician, you can contact Planned Parenthood by going to plannedparenthood.org or by calling 800-230-7526 for some assistance. Your local Planned Parenthood should be able to provide pregnancy planning services, prenatal services, childbirth classes, and postpartum exams for after the baby comes.

It can be really hard to live with someone who struggles with an addiction to alcohol. We want you to know that you are not alone. If you’d like to talk to other young people who are dealing with friends or family members who have drinking problems you can check out Alateen. You can find more information about this support group, or find a local meeting here: https://al-anon.org/newcomers/teen-corner-alateen/.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS