What are the consequences of a 15 year old running away

[Guest]

I’m 15 and I’ve been planning for a while on running away for a while. (Idk how long). I think I’m going to go through with my plan even though I don’t have a place to stay. Since I don’t have a place to stay and I’m nit going to inform anyone, what charges will be put on me when I come back or if I’m found. I’m just hoping jail isn’t an option, but if it is I would like to know before I start on my “adventure”.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline, it takes a lot of courage to seek help. You mentioned that you have been planning on running away for a while but you don’t have a place to stay. Having a space place to stay to ensure that you are safe is very important. Running away is not illegal but since you are a minor, you parents have the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, if the police find you they would return you home unless you express to them that you live in a unsafe environment. If you left home and decided to stay with a friend, they could get in trouble for harboring a runaway. If you would like to discuss the reasons as to why you want to runaway or you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.

[Guest]

I’ve looked that if you’re 16 or older and safe. They can’t force you to return home against you’re will is that true?

[ccsmod10]

Hi,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). If you wanted to talk more about your situation and what’s making you want to run away, we’re here to talk.

From your email, you mentioned wanting to what happens if you runaway at 16. While we’re not legal experts, we do have some basic knowledge on that area. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home. 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. One way to find out the laws in your area, is to call your local police. You can anonymously ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth, and what happens if youth refuse to go home. If you’re not comfortable making that call by yourself, we do offer conference calling, so we can make that call together.

You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center, or use our chatting services via our website. However, the chatting service is not open 24/7. So the best way to tell us everything would be to just call into our hotline and talk to one of our trained liners.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

HI , I really want to run away, my family is broken . I hate my stepfather so much and my mom promise he was going toeave along time ago . he's still her though and I miss behave because he is here . He suffers from bipolar diesease and doesn't take his medicine . if u run away I will have a safe place to stay with a friend , what I do ?

[ccsmod16]

Hello,

First of all, no one deserves to feel like their family is broken. It sounds like your stepfather is a very difficult person to deal with and live with and you sound like you’re at the end of your ability to cope.

It sounds like if you decide to run away, you feel that you have a safe place to go. There may still be problems with this situation. Although we are not legal experts here, we know that running away is a status offense, which means it’s not illegal to run away from home and you won’t face any charges. If you run away, your family has the right to file a runaway report on you. This will allow the police to look for you, and if they find you, remove you and return you to your home. This runaway report will also allow your friend to possibly be criminally charged with harboring a runaway or contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Your parents may give you permission to live with another family (i.e a relative’s house, at a youth shelter, or even at your friend’s house), but without getting an official document from the court they would still be legally responsible for you. Which means that they can also take away that permission at any given moment and take you back home to live with them once again. So that can be an option for you if you feel like your parents might respond well to you living someplace else.

Now we do offer a service that is basically a Conference Call where the parent, the youth, and us would be on the phone talking about what has been going on. It this case, it would most likely be your mother, yourself, and us on the line. This way there can be a mediator in between keeping things calm and productive. It might be a great way to talk about what you are going through mentally and maybe come up with ways to help you feel like not running away. Something constructive so that it certainly opens the lines of communication, but that services is completely up to you.

If you just need to talk, or are looking for specific resources in your area, please call 1-800-RUNAWAY to be connected with resources in your area.

[Guest]

what if you stay at your boyfriends because you don't wanna stay home

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

We are not legal experts, but we can tell you that because you are a minor, if you leave home and your parents file a runaway report, you could be returned home. There could also be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a run away. If you want a liner to help you walk through other options like us mediating a conference call between you and your parents, thinking through possible adults that you could turn to or could advocate for you, or things like emancipation and legal aid numbers, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

NRS

[Guest]

I am 15 and I wanna run away.. my mom and dad... They are not the best parents.. I want to get to California from here.. and I live in Michigan (USA) ..I don't know how to get there.. that I'd where my boyfriend is at.. he moved long ago around 3 months after we started dating.. he said I could come there .. he even talked to his parents about it.. I just can't stand this place anymore.. I wanna leave.. if I don't leave I will end up killing myself

[ccsmod5]

Hey,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a stressful situation at home and want to leave to stay with your boyfriend. It can be really difficult living in an unsupportive environment and we’re sorry to hear that your parents aren’t the best. While we’re not legal experts, we can say that generally you need to be 18 to leave home without permission. If you leave home before that, your parents would have the right to file a runaway report and if the police are able to locate you, they may return you home. That being said, if you believe that leaving home is your safest option, that’s valid. It sounds like your boyfriend lives quite far away from you—it could be an option to get a ride there or meet your boyfriend and his family halfway. Another option could be to get parental consent, as that might make things easier. If you need help having that conversation, feel free to give us a call. We can facilitate a conference call with your parents and try to keep the conversation fair.
You mentioned that you “will end up killing myself.” If you feel like you’re in danger of hurting yourself, you can always call 9-1-1. Another resource could be the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You are not alone in this and you deserve to be supported!
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe!

[Guest]

Hey I'm in middle school and 15 I hate this family I'm in my step dad seems like he hates me every time I get in trouble he makes up something and adds on to that if I tell my little brother to stop he gets mad and screams at me I remember one time we got into a fight and he pushed me and my back hit a wall and it made a hole and ever since it been hurting and he doesn't wanna go to the doctors because he knows he will go to jail and he still tortures me I feel like running away to a friends house that's 18 but Idk if I will go to jail so I thought maybe I can stay a day at another friends house what should I do?

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear about what has been going on and want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and happy in your home. Have you told any other adults, like a trusted family member or school counselor, about that specific instance or about anything else going on at home? You do have the right to file an abuse report, and if you don't have a trusted adult in your life that you want to turn to, we can also help you with that process. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at (1-800-422-4453) or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.

It is not illegal to run away, it is a status offense so if you were to leave and your step dad filed a runaway report, you could be returned home. There could be legal consequences, though, for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring a runaway. If you want a liner to help you walk through other options like us mediating a conference call between you and your parents, thinking through possible adults that you could turn to or could advocate for you, or things like emancipation and legal aid numbers, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Stay safe,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 and my dad disowned me near my birthday. my parent divorced when i was 8 because of severe abuse (every kind). my mom is on the road trucking and I'm not allowed to talk to anyone. I'm isolated and being on here is even sketchy. I'm afraid of having to be kept in a semi truck with them till I'm 18. I'm pegan, genderfluid, and bisexual. they don't like how I'm spiritual and have odd intrests. i want to leave. please help. -anon

[ccsmod16]

Hey there,

It sounds like you’ve been dealing with a lot, and it’s very brave of you to reach out to someone. To start, if you’ve been abused in any way, it is not okay. And if you have been physically abused at all, you do not deserve it, and you can contact the police and/or file an abuse report. If this is something you’re interested in, you can also contact us at 1-800-786-2929 for help doing this.

It doesn’t feel good when people, especially parents or family aren’t accepting of your identity, in terms of gender, sexuality, spirituality, or anything else. It sounds like you’re in a very difficult position and have been giving this some thought. If you have any other family members or friends you’re in contact with and might feel safe with, contacting them could be a good possibility. These can also be good people to stay with if you’re not comfortable where you are now and would feel safer elsewhere.

Only you know when you need to leave due to your home being unsafe. Unfortunately no one but you can make that decision for you, not even here. There may also be some shelters near you, if you are planning to run away and don’t know where to go. You indicated that you’re on the move a lot, so it’s understandable if you’re not familiar with resources nearby. The National Runaway Safeline is available 24 hours a day and is completely confidential. We have a list of resources that may be helpful for you, and you are free to contact us at 1-800-786-2929 any time. Thanks so much for reaching out

[Guest]

I'm 15 and I want to run away from home, my family is loving and caring but I just want to be free to make something of myself. Sometimes I question if I even love and care about them as much as they do for me... I love music and it's seems to be my only motive to be happy and continue living. I know running away from home in Texas(USA) is illegal, but how free would I be If I left the country? Say I left to Europe somehow, would I be sent back to the US if the European police stop me?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are considering running away to Europe in search of more freedom. Here at NRS, we can speak generally about runaway laws in the U.S., but we cannot speak to European or international laws.

In the U.S., running away is usually considered a status offense rather than being illegal. Meaning if your guardians list you as a runaway with local police, you would generally be returned home rather than arrested. While we cannot speak to how the international community would respond to your situation and it would depend on the laws in the country that you go to; it might be difficult for you to fly internationally at 15 without parental consent. To look at other country's hotlines you might visit Child Help International's website: https://www.childhelplineinternation...pline-network/.

You mentioned that your family is loving and caring, and that you just want to be free to make something of yourself. You might try to have some difficult conversations with your guardians about gaining certain freedoms or even traveling abroad. Sometimes having the support of your loved ones can help you succeed more than trying to go through it on your own without any assistance.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you have more questions or if you would like to talk through your situation.

We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I’m 15 and live in Hawaii. I want to know what will happen if I ran to my uncles or friends house for a week or so

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes courage to seek help. It sounds like you plan on running away. In the state of Hawaii a person has to be at least 18 before they can leave home without parental consent. If you decide to runaway your parents have 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 your uncles or a friend, they could get charged with harboring a runaway. You could try asking you parents if they would allow you to stay with your uncles for a week. If you have any other 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]

Hello. I was planning on running away from my hometown with my girlfriend. I want to know if this is just a status offense because we would both be runaways. Thanks

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hello. I was planning on running away


Hello,
Thanks for contacting 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.
Just so that you know we are not legal experts and only can provide some general legal information when it comes to someone running away or someone assisting/aiding a person running away.

Someone under 18 that leaves home, the parent/guardian may file them as a runaway (Status Offense) 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.

If you would like to talk more in detail 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 your friend should ever be at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage them to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).


Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hey, I’m 15 years old. I want to run away to my boyfriends house because my sister had told me she is sending me back to New York. And I can’t go back to a place I have been sexually abused and mentally abused. Also where my boyfriend is, I could better myself in the future with the program of early college where I couldn’t get myself an associates by the time I graduate. He and his family support me 100%. Could my case go smooth, what would I need to do?

[ccsmod11]

Hello,

First, thanks for reaching out to us and sharing your situation. We are sorry to hear this is such a tough time for you and that you experienced abuse in the past. We respect that you don’t want to go back to a situation that was harmful to you. But you do have options and we are here to explore these with you.

First, just so you know, if you do leave home without permission anyone you stay with could be accused of harboring a runaway, which can be considered a crime. But perhaps there is a way for you to receive permission to live with your boyfriend’s family, or somewhere else that is safe. If you feel you are being forced to go back to live in an unsafe environment you can call your local child abuse reporting hotline to, hopefully, prevent this from happening. Also, if you haven’t filed a report for the abuse that happened, you can do that as well. Another great resource for people who have been through sexual abuse is www.rainn.org (Rape Abuse Incest National Network, hotline # 1-800-656-4673).

Of course, if you give us a call we can explore what further options you might have and provide other resources that may help. It’s usually the best way we can assist people in your situation. We are here 24/7 and are totally anonymous and confidential. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) We hope to hear from you soon!

Good luck,
NRS