Is it illegal to runaway when you're 14? what can happen?

[ccsmod1]

Response from NRS

Thanks for reaching out on our bulletin boards! It sounds like you are thinking about running away. We are sorry to hear about the situation with your mom. Since you are under the age of 18, if you leave home you could be considered a runaway. This means that your parent or legal guardian could call the police, who might force you to return home. Running away is not a crime, however anyone who allows you to stay with them could risk criminal charges for harboring a runaway. Here at NRS, our main priority is your safety. Running away can be very dangerous and risky, so if you leave home, we can help you come up with resources and options to stay safe, off the streets, and survive. It sounds like you are very concerned with getting caught or being tracked down by your phone. It is possible to track some cell phones, but it depends on the kind of phone you have and the situation. Being tracked down is not the only risk of running away. We are here to help you make a plan to stay safe and answer any questions you have. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.

[Unregistered]

I need to leave

Hi, Im only 15 nd i guess u can say my problems wit my fam started wen i was 8. I use to live wit my gma aunt nd mom wen i was 7 nd i was ah only child but my mom ended up gettin pregnant nd got married to my step dad. My stepdad worked n the navy so we had to move where he worked so we moved to lemoore. Wen we moved i had ah new bro nd ah actual dad nd i didnt lik it. Nd the new school i went to i got bullied. So i ended jus hating my mom she never had time to for me anymore so i got mean sad nd disrespectful. She ended preggos again ah year later then after the baby was born they seperated. Wen i was 10 things got worse i jus couldnt stand her sshe never cleaned she drinks nd smokes weed. She leaves everything up to me lik im ah mom nd wen i decide to talk back they call me disrespectful nd she recently punched me nd now she doesnt care nd neither do i

[ccsmod1]

RE: I need to leave

Hi, we're so sorry to hear you're having a difficult time with your mom. Have you ever been able to talk to her about how you feel, or to let anyone else know what's going on and that she has hit you? It sounds like you are dealing with a lot of things on your own right now. If you are thinking of leaving home or just need to talk, please give us a call at 1800RUNAWAY anytime, we are here 24 hours a day.

[invisible]

unloved

At my house all want do is relax. But when i doI get yelled because my dad is mad or my room is mess .i practical live in my room the only reason i leave is to eat and goto school. I just turned 14 only 24 ago and alread been chewed out 6 times. I been think about runing away since i was 11. What should I do ?

[ccsmod6]

RE: unloved

Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you're feeling pretty overwhelmed because of the yelling from your dad. We imagine it is making it unbearable to live around your father. It seems that there has been some issues at home for a while now since you stated you have been wanting to leave home since you were 11 years old. During difficult times, it is often important to have a space to talk about what is going on to gain some insight and explore some solutions to any problems that may be occurring. This can be through another family member, a friend, a school teacher or counselor, or us here at NRS. We are here to listen and help in any way we can. We cannot tell you what to do, but we can help explore options and resources that are beneficial to you and that will help you make a decision on your own. If you are able to, please call in at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or reach out by chat through our website at www.1800runaway.org.

Please know that there is support available to you. We're looking forward to hearing from you soon. We wish you luck and hope you stay safe.

Take care,

NRS

[Unregistered]

please help

im 15 i dont know if i should runaway im scared that i would not have a good career or a great life im getting tired of getting called bad names i feel like my parents dont want anything to do with me my step dad always calls me names and i feel like he doesnt love me because im not his son i love my mom and dad very much but this has to stop i think my dad just loves my little brother because he is his son my real dad was abusive to my mom he left me when i was 7!!

please help me thank you very much..

[ccsmod11]

Re: please help

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’re going through a lot right now and we’re so glad you decided to contact us. We are here to help you in any way we can.

You mentioned that you feel as though your step dad doesn’t love you as much as your little brother and that you don’t feel like a part of the family in general. We’re very sorry you feel that way; nobody deserves to have to deal with those feelings in their own home. Have you tried to talk to your mom and/or step dad about how you feel? Or maybe another trusted adult or friend at school? What can we do here at NRS to best help you?

It was very brave of you to reach out to us. For further support from us, you can reach out to our chat service at www.1800Runaway.org from 4:30pm-11:30pm. In addition, you can give us a call at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929). We are available 24/7 and are completely confidential. We hope that this has helped and would love to hear from you if you need more support.

Best,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Help

Hi.. I live in Washington n I'm 14. I jus wanted to kno what will exactly happen if I run away? My parents r way to strict n they won't let me do anything. They don't give me any freedom.. I feel like a prisoner.. I ran away once n went to my bf but on that same night I had to txt my dad that I'm running away n to not call the police or look for me. My dad called me n said to come back n if I did then he won't call police. So I did went home. He told me that if I do it again he'll call the police. I wana run away again but if I do I really don't wana go back home.. I wana stay at my friends house. I will do anything to not go back to my home. Will the police help me out n tell my parents to let me live there?

[ccsmod6]

RE: Help

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you feel there is a lot of pressure and strict rules at home from your parents making it difficult to stay at home under those circumstances. You mentioned that you ran away before but went back home because your father said he would call the police. It seems you have found yourself in the same position wanting to know what would happen if you left and if police would help you out. We, unfortunately, are not legal experts and cannot say specifically what would happen but what we have learned from police in various states is that your father could file you as a runaway and police may search for you in effort to bring you back to your guardian. The reason for this is that you are considered a minor by law, and you are expected to reside with or where ever your parents/guardians decide you are to live. Leaving home as a minor is something you are not allowed to do until you become your own legal guardian or you reach the age of 18. The police may help intervene and explore some options with you, but it seems unlikely that they will persuade your parents into letting you live elsewhere because your parents choose to say where you live. We could help explore some resources for counseling or legal help if you are looking for professional assistance.

If you would like to talk more about your situation and explore some options that are best suitable for you, please reach out by phone or chat. Our number is toll-free 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), and our website is www.1800runaway.org where chat can be accessed.

We look forward to chatting with you by phone or live chat soon.

Be safe and take care,

NRS

[Unregistered]

i am miserable and i want to run away!

so here it goes my life has always been really hard because my family is ********. their dark people and they are insane, they make me feel horrible about my self and i just cant do this anymore, i moved in with my dad thinking things were gonna be better, at first they were but now itd terrible every single day almost my dad and his gf are fighting. and just to be honest i like his gf way more then him, but she wont leave him. i have a boyfreind that ive been dating for a year, and weve been through alot, like i mean alot, an he has stuck by my side the whole time even tho my family on my moms side have theatened him an tried to make us break up, but each time thry try we get closer an closer because were not giving up and , well something had happened, and now my dad took my phone permenetly an says im not allowed to talk to him, see him, or go around him, or my dad is gonna call the cops, him mom doesnt even feel comfertable sending me back home even when i was allowed to go over to their house, his family loves me like their own like they treat me like im family. weve talked about finding a way o try and get it to where shes my gaurdian but we dont know how to do that. i need help!!!

[ccsmod15]

RE:i am miserable and i want to run away!

Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us. Sometimes it is hard for someone to reach out and you have been brave to do so. We are sorry that you are going through these things. It looks like you have tried to make changes for the better but it did not work out as you have planned. Sounds like you are overwhelmed with all the fighting that is happening at home. Your family is trying to take away the support you have and that makes things harder for you. Your boyfriend’s family really cares for you and want what is best for. You would like to have your boyfriend’s mother become your legal guardian.
Most times to change guardianship the original guardian will have to consent. So for your boyfriend’s mother to become your guardian, your father or mother will have to consent and sign paperwork for this to happen. Does not sound like your either of your parents will be okay with your boyfriend’s mother becoming you guardian. You can consider a family member or close friend that you and your parents would be comfortable with so that there is a middle ground for the problems you are facing. You mentioned getting along with your father’s girlfriend a lot better than others in your family. The first step can be to get her to become you guardian so that she can make legal decisions for you however you may want to look into that further as there may be gray areas because she is dating you actual guardian. We would be happy to talk through this with you and provide legal resources that serve your city and state.
If your parents disagree with signing guardianship over to someone else there can be things that you do to avoid the arguing and negativity at home. One option could be to involve yourself in positive activities that your parents can approve of, like after school programs, sports or clubs. To spend time with your boyfriend who has supported you through a lot can also join a school program with you. This could help in finding new friends that your parents are okay with and allow you to spend time with them. In turn, you will occupy your time away from home so that you are not dealing with as much stress.
Again, we thank you for being brave and reaching out to us. We are happy to speak with you further about all of these things on the phone or by chatting. You can reach us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or 1800RUNAWAY.org. We do hope that things do work out for you.
Best,
NRS

[Unregistered]

My parents are very frustrating and I want to run away. I'm not good enough in their eyes nor will I ever be. I don't know what to do anymore.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: My parents

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

You seem to be having some issues with your parents that have become so frustrating they have you thinking about running away.
We understand that maybe you are feeling confused but it is good that you reached out to us tonight.
You might consider calling 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or visit www.1800Runaway.org (live chat) to talk about your situation and explore some options for coping. How does that sound?
Good for you for being proactive and seeking help tonight.

We hope you will feel better.

Take Care,
NRS

[HiddenTears]

Hidden Tears

Everyday my parents fight and it hurts me so badly. I don't want to hear it. I refuse to cry but I secretly die inside. My complaints are clique, but I need not to have an clique answer such as : stay positive, pain ends, and other bs

[ccsmod15]

RE: Hidden Tears

Hello there,
Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) during this difficult time. We are here to help and provide support for you with your situation. We are not legal experts here but we can provide you with some general information.
Since you are 14 years old you still considered a minor. If you decide to run away, your parents have the right to file a runaway report. If a runaway report is filed and you are picked up by the police there is a possibility that you may be returned home. We understand that you are going through a difficult time and are considering leaving. Here are some questions to consider:
• Do I have a place to stay?
• What about school? Would I continue to get an education?
• Am I going to be gone awhile or coming back in a few days?
• What would I do for money? Shelter? Food? Transportation?
• Who can I depend on if I leave home?
• Do I have a safe, solid plan?
• What is my plan b in case my first plan doesn’t work?

It sounds like you’re going through a tough time at home and we thank you for reaching out to us. This is a great first step and very strong of you. We are here 24/7 and are always available to talk. We would love for you to give us a call so we can talk further with you and provide you with additional support. We can be reached at 1-800- RUNAWAY (786-2929)

Best,

NRS