Missouri 17 YO Runaway Laws

Hello,
My step-daughter lives in Missouri with her biological mother and step-father. She calls me frequently about how she feels that this a toxic environment for her. She is 17 and turns 18 in 2 months. She has secured a safe place to live until her biological father and myself are able to move out when I finish college this summer. He is contemplating moving out ahead of schedule. Can she move to this safe place while waiting without severe repercussions? I'm not sure whether her biological mother and step-father would call her in as a runaway.
Thanks for any help!

[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. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions. There is a loophole sometimes if the youth is close enough to being 18 the police might not look for them or file the runaway report since they are so close to being 18. Again it might be a good idea to call the local non-emergency number.
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

I have a friend who is in a foster home and is 17 but wants to run away due to safety risks at the home. How much trouble could my friend get into? And what happens if an 18 year old harbors my friend?Would the 18 year old get into trouble?

[ccsmod6]

Hello, thank you for reaching out during this difficult time. We are not legal experts, but technically it’s not against the law for you to leave home without your mom’s permission. In most places it’s considered a ‘status offense’. However, there is a catch that anyone you would be caught staying with could possibly be charged with ‘harboring a runaway’. It would be up to the people you would be staying with if they are willing to take this risk for you. If you need a youth shelter, https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/ is a good resource to reach out to. One option you and you mom might be interested in is counseling, where you can talk about her stubbornness and the family dynamics. It’s not okay for her to lash out at you. If you don’t think your mom will be open to that, you can always talk to a school counselor yourself, you have the right to be heard.
Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we are always here to help you go over your options. We can be reached at any time at 1-800-RUNAWAY or online at https://www.1800runaway.org/. If you do leave please stay safe and contact us if you need help.

Hi , I am 15 and plan on leaving ! I have a mother that is hard headed and won’t listen to a thing I have to say ! If I was to run away like my mother has told me to do can she get the people that I’m staying with in trouble Or possibly even me ?

[ccsmod7]

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Service bulletin board. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation dealing with your home life. Unfortunately, age of majority in the state of Missouri is 18, which means that if you choose to run away at age 17 your parents would be within their rights to report you as missing and potentially charge your boyfriend for harboring a runaway. We can discuss a couple of other options. It could help to talk to your parents with a moderator in order to help you feel heard. If you call our hotline, we can offer that service. Your situation could also benefit from family counseling or, more likely, individual counseling. If you are interested in either, please call our hotline and we will be happy to put you in contact with a counselor. If you are financially restricted, we can find you sliding scale therapists that will work for a reduced fee. It may also help to find another adult in your life to talk to.

If you are ever in a spot where you need to talk out more options or just to vent, please do not hesitate to contact us via our hotline number.

Hello I am 17 and I am currently in a home where I feel as if my mental health is very unstable and I plan on going to live with my boyfriend who is 19 and currently working on getting our own place and as soon as I get there I am applying for jobs... is it okay for me to do this and is there anything my parent can do to make the police or something take me back because where I am now is the last place I want to be....

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It is hard for us to say what will happen to you because we do not know much about you, but we can give you some general runaway information. While we are not legal experts, your guardians can file a runaway report on you because you are a minor. It is not illegal to runaway but it is considered a status offense. If the police pick you up with a runaway report out on you, you will not get arrested unless you are doing something illegal. In most cases, your guardians will be notified and you will be taken home. If you are staying with someone while there is a runaway report out on you, they could be charged with harboring a runaway. Harboring a runaway is often considered a misdemeanor offense. If you would like to talk about what is making you want to leave home or explore other potential situations that you could encounter as a runaway, please do not hesitate to contact us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

hey im 14 and i just wanna leave home what will happen to me if i do leave

[ccsmod3]

Hello,
You ask a great question. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot and would like know if you can leave home. Generally speaking, a parent or guardian can try to file a runaway report for a 17 year old, though sometimes local police won’t accept a runaway report for youth that are close to becoming 18. The best way to find out for sure is to call your local police non-emergency number and ask them if they accept runaway reports for 17 year olds.
Of course, running away is a big decision that involves answering questions like: “How will I be safe? Where will I go?” and so on. We’d like to help you figure out what your next best steps are whatever you decide. But we probably need a little more information from you to help out. The best way we can do that is if you give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are here 24/7 and are confidential. We hope to hear from you!
Good luck and stay safe,
NRS

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at NRS and telling us about your situation. It sounds like you’ve going through a lot with your mom lately. We are sorry that you are dealing all of this, but we’re glad that you are looking for safe alternatives.
We’re aren’t legal experts here, but it looks like the age of majority in Missouri is 18. If you leave home without your mom’s permission, she could file a runaway report. Luckily, running away is not a criminal offence. In most cases, the police would take you back to your mom’s unless there was evidence of abuse or if you pose a risk to yourself or others.
However, your safety is a priority. It’s important that you live in a safe environment with the emotional and physical resources you need. Have you talked to a counselor about what you’ve been going through lately? Do you have other family members in the area that you can stay with that your mom would agree to? There may be other options that might be available to you. If you would like to discuss options or get referrals in your local area, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or via our chat services at www.1800runaway.org between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST. We hope to hear from you. Good luck and stay safe!
NRS

I am 17 been in the psych ward could I leave home

I am a 16-year-old girl who wants to leave home but I've been in the psych ward not in any other trouble I did try to kill myself but my mom is a loving mom and been by my side just I can't handle it

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. If you were to get permission from your dad to move out then you should have no legal consequences. If you leave without permission, then it considered running away. We aren’t legal experts, but we have general knowledge about running away. In most states, running away isn’t illegal, but what is called a status offense. You can’t get arrested for it but it will mostly likely go on your record until you are 18. The police will only know if you have runaway if your parents/guardians file a police report. We can’t say for sure how the police will respond, but we hear a lot that police will take potential places you might be and will actively search for you. If they come across you, they may return you home to your parents since you are a minor, but you are in a grey area since you are so close to 18. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone who is safe, and have reason to be there then they may not make you go back. It is good to be aware that there is something called harboring, which is a person who knows you are a runaway and are not actively trying to return you or finding shelter for you, your guardians/or police can press charges against the people who are housing you, with something that is called harboring. One of our main goals is to make sure you are safe, so if you ever seriously decide to run away and need shelter, resources, or a safe place to go you can find safe locations at nationalsafeplace.org or reach out to us directly and we can find local resources in your area.

We are here for you and will support you in anyway that we can. Please feel free to call into us directly as we can talk further about your situation and find resources that are best for you in your area. Stay strong and you are not alone in this! Our hotline ( 1-800-RUNAWAY) and chat are open 24/7.


-NRS

Im 16 and want to move out of my dads. can i move out at 17