Missouri 17 YO Runaway Laws

Hello,a friend's kids ages (13 and 14 I believe) are being physically abused. There were even multiple witnesses as of last night,the cops arrived and the child had an obviously swollen face.they left after the child was made to state 'everything was ok' which wasn't the case. I'm terrified as one of the adults is rumored to be using hard drugs and my concern is something really bad will happen. These children to get out of their house. Their family is in the south and is more than willing to assume rights if at all possible.please help asap

[ccsmod15]

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

Hello i am 17 years old in Missouri my mom told me get out then when i left over to my girlfriends house proceeded to threaten to call the cops on her parents my question is if i’m 17 can i choose where i want to stay legally without them getting in trouble

[ccsmod15]

Hey there, thanks for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We know it takes great courage to reach out for support, and you have been quite resourceful to find our services.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without guardian permission. For more specifics on the law, the local Non-Emergency Police or Legal Aid may better answer legal questions. Because we’re uncertain which county within Missouri you reside, we’ve shared the Legal Aid of Missouri website here, and you can click on the region that is applicable to you: https://www.lsmo.org/node/792/program-service-area-map to request answers to legal questions.

If you are looking for a safe place, you can also look up safe places for youth using a zip code through National Safe Place at https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/find-a-safe-place

Also, often having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. You are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. If you’d like further contact to explore options or receive emotional support, please contact us via our ONLINE CHAT SERVICE at www.1800runaway.org (click on the CHAT button) or our HOTLINE at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) as we are limited in the number of times we can respond via the forum.

We are here for you and wish you all the best, NRS.

I'm a 17 1/2 year old run away. The state of Missouri has guardianship of me. I am a foster kid and I ran from a facility. How long do I have to wait before they drop my case?

[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. We would like to be of assistance to you and your boyfriend if we can. It sounds like you both have had a tough time but are finding your way to be stable living with family. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent/guardian permission. If you are under 18 and leave home. Even though his father kicked him out it sounds like his father may have now reported him as a runaway. If picked up by the police he may be returned home. Also, those that may be providing safe harbor may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. He might consider explaining what happened to the police or child services. It may help in whatever decisions are being considered about his safety.
For more specifics on the law, contact the local non-emergency number to the police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.We can best help by phone or chat so that we might learn a little more about your situation and how we might assist you. 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).

We hope this information was helpful.

Take care,
NRS

Hi. My boyfriend recently was kicked out of his house by his dad at 16. He lives in Minnesota. My family resides in Missouri so we decided to move in with them where we feel it would be a better environment due to his dads house is very toxic and filled with mental abuse. We also left for our safety an we have a baby on the way so for the baby’s safety as well. His dad kicked him out and told him to find a new place to live which he did but then his dad reported him as a runaway. What will happen to my boyfriend? Will he have to go back to Minnesota? Keep in mind he is in a better home, safer environment, well taken care of there’s plenty of food in the house and the house is well enough big. He also for the last 6 months has been taking care of himself by holding a decent job, buying his own food and everything else and taking care of me and our unborn child. He is pretty independent. But are there any bad outcomes to this situation?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension. It's very commendable that you are working so hard and are dedicated to your educational and career path! Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

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 home. It's so great to hear that you have people in your life who are so supportive and welcoming. If you go to stay at someone’s house without prior permission from your parents, they could be charged with harboring a runaway, which is a misdemeanor. Penalties for harboring a runaway vary from state to state, police officer to officer, and how your parents view the situation.

You mentioned some things about emotional and physical abuse that raise 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.

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.

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 support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe,
NRS

I'm 17 and my parents have tried to put me in a phyc ward 2 times already, claiming that there is something wrong with me and that I'm going down a wrong path in life. I'm still in school I'm going to college next year (for nursing) I have a job and I make my own money. I want to run away but not face any legal charges, can I do that and the people that I stay with would they get in trouble for allowing me into their homes or not? The emotional and physical abuse that I go through living here is too much for me.

[ccsmod15]

Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out.

You mentioned that your mom yells at you a lot, and your dad has gotten physical before, causing you to want to run away. You’re really brave for wanting to know what consequences, if any, lay ahead. Running away is not a crime. We’re not legal experts, but in most states anyone under 18 is considered a minor. If you were to leave your home without parental consent, your guardians can file a runaway report with the authorities and whoever you end up staying with, may face some charges for harboring a runaway. To know more about runaway laws in your city and state, you can contact your local non-emergency number and inquire anonymously.

You mentioned that abuse has occurred before, and it has taken a toll on you. An option you can explore would be to talk to a teacher or social worker at school, and let them know about the abuse going on at home. They may be able to try to see if there is evidence enough to file a child abuse report. The National Child Abuse Hotline at 1800) 422-4453, and you can tell the Child Help workers if you can file a child abuse report.

We hope these resources have been of some use to you. If you need additional help, or want us to make a call to another organization on your behalf, feel free to reach out to us anytime at 1800) 786-2929. Best of luck!

I want to leave my mom yells at me all the time followed by my dad who occasionally gets physical. I’m 16 now and really want to leave when I’m 17 but In Missouri the law is 18 is there anyway to get out?

[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. We are sorry to hear about the passing of your friend. Losing someone is never easy to accept.

We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We are not legal experts but perhaps we can assist you better if we knew more about the situation. 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).
We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

Hi I’m 15 yr. old and I left school for 2 hrs. Without my parents’ permission for my best friends funeral BC I needed some closure and my mom and step dad reported me as a runaway can they send me to BCA? I came back to school right after the funeral.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are not legal experts but do have some knowledge of the laws. At 17 you would still be considered as a minor and would not be allowed to leave unless your parent’s gave you permission. If you were to leave without permission your legal guardian could file a runaway report and if the police found you they would most likely bring you home. You could always contact your local police department for an answer as it seems like you heard differently. If you are only a few months away from being 18 the police may not take a runaway report but it is the police department’s decision.
We hope this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and provide support to you. Best of luck!
NRS

Hi. So I’m wanting to leave at 17 but apparently dfs is involved. Am I allowed to move out still? I will have a safe place to go and I’m engaged. The Missouri laws say that I can move out at 17 and that a cop won’t bring me back if they do find out where I am. And that at 17 my parents can’t really file a runaway report cause I’m pretty much on my own at 17 as a girl.