can you leave home at 17?

[Unregistered]

My boyfriend is about to turn 17 and we have a baby on the way and we want to move in with my nana when he does because of all the bickering, drama, and not enough room for when our child gets here. Can he legally move out at 17 with me to my Nanas because it's a safer environment and bigger space?

[ccsmod1]

RE: can you leave home at 17?

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us for help. It sounds like you are going to have a baby soon, and you would like your boyfriend to move in with your Nana because he is having a hard time at home. It sounds like he is in a really difficult situation right now. We are here to listen and support you in any way that we can. Since your boyfriend is under the age of 18, if he leave home he could be considered a runaway. This means that his parent or legal guardian could call the police, who might force him to return home. Running away is not a crime, however your Nana could risk criminal charges for harboring a runaway if his legal guardian tried to press charges.
We are not legal experts. Laws are different from state to state, county to county, city to city. In some areas, police might not take a runaway report for youth who are close to turning 18, or they might take a report but not force a youth to return home. How a local police department responds to the situation can vary drastically. A good way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are. If you have questions or you need to talk, you or your boyfriend can always call us directly or use our live chat. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.