What are the consequences of a 15 year old running away

[Guest]

hey..im 15.... um so ive been thinking about running away for a while... ive talked to my girlfriend and she said that i could come stay at her house and her mom would accept me and stuff... but if i leave will i be reported as a run away? i wanna run away because i cant stand living at my house.. my step dad is a **** and my mom dont do nothing...i have to do all the chores by myself because my brother dont do nothing... if i run away can i still goto school? ive cut myself in the past due to situations like this because its to much for me to handle and i have depression... i need help..

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline and sharing a little bit about what is going. It takes a lot of courage to reach out and especially in a time where you have a really tough and complex situation. That’s great that you have support from your girlfriend’s family. 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, the most likely will return you home to your parents. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone 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.

Also another way you can seek help is reaching out to a friend, teacher, or counselor at school that can help you look for resources. Your mental health is important. You can also look at SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at samhsa.gov (call them directly at 1-877-726-4727) or NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-NAMI to help you find the support that you need. If you do ever feel in direct danger, to yourself, or some else makes you feel that way, please call out to 911 or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).

If you are still wanting to go to school and get enrolled you may qualify for a program under the Mckinney Vento Act that gives the right to all youth to education. There is a helpline that you can reach out to called the National Center for Homeless Educational Helpline. 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.

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 support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.

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[Guest]

On October 25 2018 the time was about 4:14
me and my mom were just arguing about regular stuff and ya know i have a really bad temper. So right when i got out of the car i pushed the door against my sisters car hard leaving a big mark i dont know why i did that i was just angry and i started to walk away them i saw my mom running at me and i ran and i couldnt stop running. i didnt know where i was going and i ended up going to a friend (this was like an hour later) so i asked my friend if i can stay the night at there house but if they sneak me in. so later that night they snuck me in and i they gave me a blanket and a pillow i slept on the floor. i woke up that morning scared and sad because i didnt know what i did and didnt know why i did it. i signed into my snapchat on a friends phones and saw a lot of texts from my brother wanting me to come home. i sat there and just thought about how scared my family could be i got texts from a older cousin telling me to go home. so i sat for a few hours and just thought if i should go home and i did. it was about an hour walk to get to home. so i got home my sister was on the couch and i asked to use her phone to call my mom and tell her i was home. a few minutes late my mom arrived and my mom was crying telling where did i go. i showed no feeling even though i was hurt and my dad was working out of the states so when he heard the news he didnt know what to do he couldnt sleep that night and he had to come home early. but back to friday. my mom told me that the police were on there way to see if i was home and they came and it was a surprise to me when the police asked to talk to me away from my mom and they put me in cuffs and they took me down to his office when they did all the paper work it took about a few hours. then he took me down to a detention center when they put me in a room with a blanket. i fell asleep and then someone woke me up and told me my mom was here for me and i was so thankful that my mom picked me up because i could not be in there. thats pretty much the story and now i have to wait for my court date and i hope since its my first and last time i do something like that. that the judge doesnt have me do time because i am not built for this kind of stuff. and im really sorry to my parents.

[ccsmod0]

Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to write to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you and your family have had a rough week and you are ready to make amends with them. It is massively courageous for you to admit that you are sorry for your actions. We know that you mentioned that you have a hard time expressing your feeling to your parents. Other techniques that might be helpful to aid in your communication could be writing a letter or even going to family counseling. If either of these things seem like something you would like to try please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we can try to get you in contact with them.
If you need anything else please feel free to give us a call anytime 1-800-786-2929
Best wishes,
NRS

[Guest]

My girlfriend is the parent of a 15 year old that has been arrested many times, has been in a hospital or jail 14 times, and is a convicted felon on probation. If he runs away again, what legal responsibilities does she have to find him and bring him home?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out for your girlfriend. Sounds like she is going through a lot with her son.

We are not legal experts but we can speak generally. If her son leaves home she generally has the responsibility to report him as a runaway to local police so the liability of being his guardian is taken off of her while he is away. If she does not file a runaway report for him once he leaves, it could be seen as neglect. However, this seems like a very unique situation and that would be up to local police. To learn more about what could happen, you might reach out to your local non-emergency police number to talk to an officer about the situation. You might also have her reach out to his probation officer and ask these types of questions.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like to talk further. We would be happy to talk to both your girlfriend and her son if they would like to talk to us, so you might pass along our information as well. We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

would it be considered if i ran away for like, 4 hours? i plan on going home but i feel like if i ran away for a couple hours then it would clear my head and i would willfully go with the police. but i feel like literally nobody cares about me at this house and i can’t talk to anybody. i would have a place to stay/walk to. would that work?

[ccsmod10]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like you are facing a difficult situation at home. You deserve to be in an environment that is loving, supportive, and safe. I’m sorry that you don’t feel like anybody cares about you, and that you don’t feel like you have supportive people in your life to talk to about it. We are not legal experts here, but we’ll do our best to provide you with some helpful information and resources.

You mentioned that you want to leave home, but only for a few hours. It is possible that a few hours away from home could make you a runaway. It depends on what state you are in. For example, in Florida, your parents could file a runaway report immediately. If they do file a runaway report, the police’s main priority would be to return you home. It is not illegal to run away from home. It is considered a status offence, because of your age. Have you considered talking to your parents about going someplace else for a few hours? You mentioned having a place to stay. Would this be with a person you trust and feel supported by? It’s important to feel emotional support when you are going through a difficult time. We are always available to talk on the phone or provide you with counseling resources if this is something that you are interested in.

We understand that considering running away is a stressful situation to be in. If you call 1-800-RUNAWAY, we can provide you with options for shelter if you need a safe place to go. We are always available to talk and provide you with any resources you need to feel safe and supported.

We appreciate how tough it must have been to reach out to help. It’s good that you are taking positive steps to talk to somebody. Thank you for contacting NRS. We are always available to talk via call or instant message. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year. We’re here to help.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

If im 14 and i runaway in texas is it against the law

[ccsmod10]

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It seems like there must be a lot going on in your life, especially at home, if you’re thinking about leaving home. It’s great that you were able to find out some information about our hotline and if you ever wanted to talk more about your situation, were here!

We’re unsure how old you are, so we’re going to explain what we know in general terms. As a minor, you aren't able to leave home without your parents’ permission. We aren’t legal experts, but what generally what typically happens if a minor runs away, is that your parents would be able to make a runaway. You can’t be arrested for running away in some cases we’ve heard of police not taking runaway reports on youth who are close to turning 18. A good way to find out exactly what the police protocols are in your city, would be to reach out to your local non-emergency police. You can ask them hypothetical questions about running away.

If you give us a call on our 24/7 fully confidential hotline, at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) we could help answer some of those questions you have and could potentially help you brainstorm a solution to the issues you are having. We also have an online chat service available through our website (www.1800runaway.org) if you don’t feel like calling in to talk on the phone.

Best, NRS

[Guest]

whats happens if i run away at 15

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. 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, the most likely will return you home to your parents. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone 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

[Guest]

I a 15 and I want to run away because my family is so judgmental and negative and ALWAYS blames EVERYTHING on me and I feel like they don't want me here and I absolutely do not want to kill myself but I would like to run away. I do some bad things to get attention because its like they dont care about my words when I speak up for myself and my "role' as a sibling in the household. Please help. What should I do?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and we are here to listen to your situation. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult situation right now. You mentioned that you do some bad things to get attention, you can consider talking to your parents about your feelings. Also it’s good to have someone to talk to for support, you could always consider talking to your school counselor. You also talked about wanting to run away, in most states the legal age for someone to leave their home without permission is 18. We are not legal experts, but running away is a status offense. What that means is you run away your parents have the right to file a runaway report, if found the police would most likely bring you back home. If you plan on running away you may want to consider safety, where you will be staying, what you will be doing for food and water. If you need a shelter you can call us and we can help you look for shelters in your area.
We hope this information will be helpful in your situation. If you have any more questions, or would like to discuss more about your situation. Please feel free to call us at any time we are available 24/7. Good Luck, and stay strong!
NRS

[Guest]

hi im 15 almost 16 & i want to runaway from my dads house, i’m forced by law to see him on his visitations, what would happen if i ran away? i dont care if i get a night in juve i just don’t want my mom to lose custody of me & i don’t want to visit my dad anymore

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know it can be a stressful situation you are going through and seeking out help is sometimes is hard. Our hope is to provide you with tips and resources so that you can make the best decision for you.
From what we gather about your story some options available to you are perhaps telling your mom that you no longer feel safe around your dad and maybe see if she can help get an official document explaining why and how you don’t want to stay with him any longer.
Again we want to commend your bravery for reaching out and seeking help. We know it took a lot to get to this point and hope we have given you enough information in order to make a decision that is best for you. If for any reasons you have more questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call at (1-800-786-2929) or online through our chat option at (www.1800runaway.org).
Best Wishes-NRS

[Guest]

What happens when my sister habors a runaway what’s her time she’s 15

[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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We feel it is best to help by phone or chat since there are perhaps more things to consider. 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).
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]

I’m not 15, but I am 13. I hate my family. Especially my mom. She hates me and I hate her. Would I get in a lot of trouble if i ran away?

[ccsmod10]

Hey 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 bit about your situation.

It sounds like your mom does not treat you very well. We offer a conference calling service, between youth and their parents. If you ever wanted our help talking to your mom about how you're being treated at home, we're always here to make that call with you.

If you feel like getting out of the house is the best option and you decide to run away, we can explain what usually happens. We’re not legal experts, but from our general knowledge, running away is not illegal. If you runaway, your mom can make a runaway report. The police don't always actively look for you, if they come across you, then they usually bring you home. We offer to call out to youth’s local police, with youth, to find out their protocols. We can also look for runaway shelters in your area, that way you have a safe place to stay at.

We hope our response is helpful. We’re here to try to brainstorm options with you. Also, talking to school counselors and teachers about what’s going on at home could provide you with great support. You are not alone in this. You are always welcome to call into our 24/7 crisis center if you'd like to talk more about your situation.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

How long can you be away from home if you runaway

[ccsmod9]

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

[Guest]

I attempted to run away from school/home and go to NY. From Media PA. I was caught and now in an in school suspension. What now?

[ccsmod10]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today.

Sounds like you were caught when you tried to run, and now you are in school suspension. Seems like you have been going through a whole lot lately and not sure what your next steps are. Here at NRS, we are always here to support you and talk through your options if you would like to call or chat us.

You said "what now?" Everybody's circumstances are different, so we do not have a blanket response for that. If you would like to talk in detail about how we can help, please know that we are always here for you.

Please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat us. We are 24/7 and here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Hi so my boyfriend is wanting to run away from home because his mom was gonna put him up for adoption.He's 15 and I was told that if he runs away and came to live with me,that my mom would be put in jail,is this true?

[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. 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).
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 and I am I run away, am I able to legally be gone if I can prove that I can provide for myself(food, shelter, school, etc.)

[ccsmod0]

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. After reading your post it had a lot of similarities to other postings, so we have attached a reply that we think can be useful for you too.

Ok I have a huge question. What would happen if you already have run away for about a day you got back home and you are in your house but your parents have already spoken to the cops I am 15 and need some help kinda fast

Thanks for telling us about how you’ve experienced this type of situation it must have been a difficult one to go through. Though we aren’t legal experts, what we can say is that each case is different and has it’s own outcome. So what might be true for someone, another might find they had no court time or fines to pay. Others might have both. It all depends on state and the willingness of your guardian to take you back and what they want to do.
Again we want to commend your bravery for reaching out and more than anything seeking out help which can be the most difficult of all things. We hope that we have helped provide some options for you to look over. If for any reason you feel like you have more questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call us at (1-800-786-2929) or online at (www.1800runaway.rg) on our chat option.

If you have any follow up questions please feel free to give us a call anytime. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I ran away at 15 and I wanted to know if I was to turn myself in would there be bad consequences?