What are the consequences of a 15 year old running away

[Guest]

I am 15 years old, and my dad has kicked me out of our house twice. Every time he has done this, I go to my neighbor's house (who also goes to school with me and is a really good friend). He never calls to make sure I am somewhere safe, and he doesn't look for me at all. Eventually, my friend bring me home, and my dad isn't happy to see me. Today 12/10/18 he has kicked me out for a third time. Is this considered child abandonment? And I always feel happier when I'm at my friends house. Also my mom has called the police on me just for riding my bike outside. It is not unsafe. I live in Tustin, California. What should I do??

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that your parents are treating you in a way that is detrimental to your wellbeing. Your parents have a legal obligation to take care of you until you are an adult and failing to do so can be considered neglect, a form of abuse. If you would like to report or learn more about the reporting process and its possibilities, please contact the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or at childhelp.org. It is good that you have your friend to support you, though. Finding help during hard times is critical and can be difficult. It is hard for us to say what you should do with only limited information about your situation. If you would like to talk more about what is going on at home, please reach out to us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello I am 14 almost 15 and I am to the point of just going and living with my boyfriend because a lot has gone on with my life. I have been physically abused and mentally and cannot go back to that life style where im gonna end up. Im scared and dont want this to cause a seen. My dad has passed away and my mom still has parental rights of me so I could ask her if she could sign me over but my grandmother also has custody of me but im living with my uncle now. Im so scared and I know about the runaway report but I just dont know what to do. Please guide me in the right direction

[ccsmod4]

Reply:Hello I am 14 almost 15


Hi, thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand you concerns and want you to know that we are here to support you any way we can. You have our condolences on the passing of your father. It we understand if it has been emotionally tough for you. It also sounds like you have suffered from some abuse both physically and emotionally. You have our empathy.
You do not deserve to be abused by anyone. It is unfortunate that this happened but it is not your fault. It is not okay for anyone to do that to you. It sounds like you are feeling frustrated and scared. Your feelings matter and so do you. Sometimes things get out of control and beyond control when dealing with others. You can only control the things you do. You are not responsible for how others behave.

When there are issues that raise concern communication plays an important role if there is to be some progress made towards a resolution. It sounds like you have thought about asking your mother to sign over parental rights. We are not sure exactly who you are looking at to become your legal guardian, perhaps it is the uncle you are living with.

Sometimes it helps to have support that might come from another family member or friend and sometimes through counseling.
You know your situation best. Let us know how we can be of assistance.
If you would like to speak more about your situation, please contact us at: 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800runaway.org (Live chat).

There are laws to protect you from being abused. To file an abuse report you can go to a teacher or a counselor at school. You can also contact Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 to report any abuse. www.childhelp.org. By filing a report there is usually an investigation to determine your safety. It also may determine who and where would best provide you with a safe environment to live in.

We are glad you reached out today. Good job.
If you feel you are at risk or immediate danger we encourage you to reach out to emergency services through 9-1-1.


Take care,
NRS
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 youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: Your Opinion Matters to Us

[Guest]

Whata re the consequences of holding a runaway

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are not legal experts, but we do have general knowledge of the laws. If you are harboring a runaway you could be faced with a fine. Harboring a runaway is a civil matter, so the police do not file this charge but the courts do. We hope this information answered your question. If you have any more questions or would like to discuss your situation in further detail please feel free to call us, we are here 24/7. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

I am 15 years old I have been planning to run away from I have no where to go. I running away from cps cause I am tired of moving homes but I am scared I will get introuble

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a challenging situation and are tired of moving from home to home. That must be disorienting, frustrating, and exhausting. Thank you for having the courage to share a little bit about what’s going on. Since you are a minor, if you ran away from your placement your guardian would file a runaway report with the local police. If the police are able to find you, they may return you home. The consequences of running away are typically not jail time, however we are not legal experts so we can’t say for sure. If you have had interactions with the juvenile justice system in the past, that may also affect what the consequences could be.
All of that being said, we understand that sometimes it is your safest option to leave. You might consider staying with a friend or a family member. Another option could be staying in a shelter or possibly taking to your case worker about transitional living options. If you need anything else—resources, a listening ear, someone to help create a plan—we are here for you 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929. Take care and stay safe!
NRS

[Guest]

Hello. I am 15 years old and have been planning to run away for a while. I don't like how stressful my life is. It makes me depressed. All I want to do is get away for a while and be happy for once. The only issue I have with my plan is that I have no place to stay. Any advice would help me a lot.

[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. If you’re feeling unsafe and need a safe place to go and talk to someone, you may wish to visit The National Safeplace website (www.nationalsafeplace.org). This organization provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. You can look up your city and state to see if there are any safe places near you listed. So that is always an option if you feel like talking to someone in person about what has been going on or if you just need of a safe place to stay.

You also may use your phone to text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 69866. If there are safe places and shelters nearby, a list of those will be sent to your phone and you may have the option to text back and forth with a trained counselor as well.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I’m going to be 15 in a few months, I’ve been wanting to run away for a while now. I have always wanted to travel the US (I live in NC) and I don’t know the laws about running away. My parents aren’t to fond to the idea of me traveling. They won’t even let me take a small walk. I love them and I know that they love me but I need freedom to do what I want. And I don’t want them to know that I’ve been wanting to do this for a while.

[ccsmod15]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are thinking about running away to travel and you are wanting to have a better understanding of your local laws. It is smart of you to research those things before you make the decision to leave.

18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian in NC. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you leave home without permission, your parents 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. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

It sound like you are really lacking some freedom at home; which is making you to want to explore on your own. That's understandable, it seems hard to not be able to go for a small walk. If you haven't already, you might try to talk to your parents about how you are feeling and if there are any compromises that can be made. Here at NRS, we have a conference call service if you ever want to have a mediated conversation with your parents with an advocate on the line. Please call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY for those services. We are always here for you.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like to talk through your situation and help with brainstorming additional options. We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Today was just the last straw I mean all I seem to do is disappoint my father. I don't even like him. I've been planning on running away since I was 13 years old. I am now 15. I don't want to live with my dad or mom. I want to run away or at least live with someone else. I can't handle my home. My family constantly fighting My dad used to abuse us when I was younger. I hate him so much I never did like him. I don't care what he does. Trys to get along with us I can't live with him anymore. I hate being with him and mom. I feel like every teenager goes through this but I can not anymore. I hate them so much. I don't want to live anywhere here. I just. I want to run away.

[ccsmod10]

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 into a home with so much tension. Everyone deserves to be respected.

You mentioned that your father used to abuse you. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. It may also be a good place to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.

It’s important to consider all the possibilities that can occur if you leave home. You will need to plan out how you will cover basic necessities like travel, food, clothing, etc. If you have a place to go in mind, it’s good to see what the expectations of the living arrangement will be like; rules, the amount of time you’re allowed to stay, if you’re expected to contribute financially, etc. This can all influence your decision to leave.

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.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I’m 15 and I’m not doing very great in school, I have failed 4 of 8 classes this semester and I have gotten in trouble for cutting and truancy. Child Services has reached out to my mother (who I live with) to say that they would like to take me into custody, and I don’t want that, I love my family. So I am thinking about running away, and staying on the streets. I have thought about running away before, because I was tired of living with my dad so I ran away to live with my mom. I don’t know how long I would last on my own but I have a couple thousand dollars in my bank account and I want to escape to Texas with my girlfriend, (from Kansas by the way) and stay they are get a job because I will be 16 in 2 weeks

[ccsmod3]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds likes you love your family and are considering whatever options are available to you. We’re glad that you contacted us and will try our best to help you in whatever way that we can.

You mentioned that you are considering running away. It’s good to hear that you have money to sustain a life potentially in Texas. You might want to consider what will happen once the thousand dollars runs out if you no longer are making money. Additionally, it’s important to think about where you could safely go with your girlfriend if you were to leave.
Something that might be helpful to know is that in the state of Kansas, you aren’t legally considered an adult until the age of 18. While we are not legal experts, if you were to runaway and your family filed a runaway report, you wouldn’t likely get in any trouble with the law, but would be returned home. It’s understandable that having Child Sevices involved now makes you a little nervous. Sometimes they might be around to support your family, though, no necessarily hurt your family.

It sounds like there’s a lot going on at home and now school isn’t going as well. It can be helpful to talk about these things with others and maybe a school counselor or trusted adult could be a good resource for you.

We are available here at NRS 24/7 should you feel like you’d like additional support. We can be reached at 1-800-786-2929.

We wish you the best of luck,

NRS

[Guest]

i want to run away i dont feel good enough to live with my family what do i do it is really cold but i dont see no other options

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for reaching out to us during this difficult time. It sounds like you want to live with your family but are worried about being on the streets. Although we are not legal experts, technically it’s not against the law for you to run away from home without your legal guardian’s permission. In most places it’s considered a ‘status offense’. However, anyone you would be caught staying with could possibly be charged with harboring a runaway. If you do not want to risk that, you can always go to a youth shelter. You can find one near you at https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/. You can also contact us at any time if you are interested in talking about what other options you might have at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us online at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

hi. i am 15 almost turning 16. i was wondering what would happened if i ran away to my friends house. ive been living here wit my dad and stepmom for 5 years now and thay always yell at me for stupid stuff and say how im worthless and stuff. theve even abused me a couple times alittle while ago my stepmom throught my against a sharp corner and busted open my elbow and no i have this big scar they always stay out late doing drug runs and come home high and even smoke and stuff in the house would i get in trouble for going to my friends or familys house since its safer there... im been doing bad in school ive been trying to commet suicide. ive told cps about my problem and my dad lies straight up to there face and says im lieing for the past 5 years they havent done crap but got me in trouble. idk what to do.. i just wanna leave

[ccsmod10]

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 into a home with so much tension. Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment and be respected. Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

You mentioned some things 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.

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

My family is literal hell on earth their all fake I hate them all I get counseling doesn't work I get yelled at for the smallest things get treated like I'm six get physically mentally and emotionally destroyed I have literary planned for every possible outcome I have five different places to run to an airplane ticket to Japan on hold I know about the legal maybes and mights but I can't take the bull******** and damage anymore its either I runaway or I actually die

[ccsmod15]

Hi, it sounds like you’re going through a really tough situation right now and it was really brave of you to reach out. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, so it’s understandable that you’re feeling this way, but please know that there are resources available to you. It’s great that you’re in counseling, and you can definitely try and talk to your counselor about what you think could make it more effective, or look for a new one if you think that could help. Also, if you’re feeling like you may be suicidal, you can definitely talk to your counselor about these feelings to come up with some coping strategies, and you can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. They have trained counselors that can talk to you about these feelings. Even if you’re not feeling suicidal, they have a lot of resources and you can always reach out there for help coping.
As for running away, we’re not legal experts, but we can speak to what we see in general. If you’re under 18, your parents or guardians could file a runway report. Running away is considered a status offense. What that means is, your name would be put into a national database, and if the police were to find you for some reason, then they would likely bring you back home. As for if you were to go to Japan, we definitely don’t have as much information about international law, but we do know that as a minor, you can buy an international ticket, but you won’t be able to get onto the plane without guardian consent. There’s a lot to consider when you’re thinking about running away, especially when it comes to your safety. If you do decide to leave and need help working through your plan, you can always reach out to us. We’re available 24/7 at 1-800-Runaway and we can help you think through things like where you’ll go, who you’ll stay with, how you’ll support/feed yourself, and how long you’ll stay there. You can also reach out to us if you ever need to talk more, or if you need more resources.

[Guest]

Hey , I'm 15 and I'm turning 16 this year, my parents have been abusing me and harming me for about 4 years now , and I got a lot of problems at school too , I've got severe depression but when I try talking to my mother she shows less/no interest in what i have to say .....I've been thinking about leaving my house and run away to Germany somehow as I've heard that Germany helps with everything from schools and homes to money and expenses .......I don't know the actual consequences that I might face after getting caught and returned to my parents , they might kill me as the have tried it before as well , I've been badly injured and I still do have the marks to prove my words ........ But I surely do wanna run away as I'm turning 16 now ......pls help me with ur advice

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,
Thanks for contacting us. It’s brave of you to reach out and share your situation.
First of all, abuse is never okay and you deserve to live somewhere where you are safe. You may want to consider contacting the National Child Abuse Hotline and filing an abuse report. You can reach them at 1-800-422-4453 or childhelp.org. Given how bad the abuse is and that you still have marks, this report could be a very important step for you to get to a safe place.
We are not legal experts but we can give some advice about how running away is typically handled in the states. Typically running away isn’t a crime in and of itself, but your parents could file a runaway report that would alert local law enforcement that you’ve run away from home. If you were to be picked up by the local police, they usually return you to your parents’ home unless there was abuse in the home. This is where that abuse report could be very helpful. If there is abuse they typically will contact child services and try to relocate you somewhere safe.
This could all depend on how the police want to handle your situation. You may want to consider calling your local police department for more information about how they handle runaway youth.
Germany is possibly bit more difficult. The first thing you’d want to do is check with the airline to see what their rules are about minors traveling internationally without parental permission. If you were able to travel there, you’ll want to know about Germany’s immigration so you can take advantage of their services. If you speak and write German, you can possibly find out some information online.
It sounds like you’re dealing with a very difficult situation where you are not safe. Whatever you decide to do, please know that we are here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY, or chat with us at 1800runaway.org.

[Guest]

Hi, I live in Lafayette In. And I am staying with a friend. My dad was recently in the hospital. And I had to come. Now he’s home and he’s got help. For about 2 years (I am 16 now) I have had to deal with him calling me names. I once tried to talk to him about my anxiety and depression and he told me that i have no reason to be unhappy because he had a worse child hood. With the place I am at now I get my school work done, and I’m so much happier. I came to see him after he came home. I was met with nasty treatment. I do a lot for him. I clean the house. Do his laundry. And I cook for his girlfriend. All while trying to balance my school work and job. He keeps threading R Do I have to go home?

[ccsmod4]

Reply: Hi, I live in Lafayette In.

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you are in a tough situation and may be looking for some options to help work out the situation with your dad.
NRS would like you to know we are here to support you at this difficult time.
Right now it sounds like you are not back living with your dad and would like to know if you have to return home. We are not legal experts and only can give some general information about the law in this regard.
18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. 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. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.
It sounds like you are doing well living apart from your dad. You might consider coming up with a plan or strategy that might help to negotiate you staying in your present situation. NRS is here to listen and here to help. Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We are here as support to help you during this tough time. We can best help by phone or chat. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.


Let us know how we might help, please contact us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) orwww.1800Runaway.org (live chat).

Take care,
NRS

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 youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: Your Opinion Matters to Us