running away while in cps custody

My child ran away from cps and now they are charging me with felony kidnapping and I do not and have not had her her dad has her

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We understand that the laws regarding runaway youth can be complicated. While we are not legal experts, we can share our general understanding of the issue.

As you mentioned in your post, adults who shelter runaway youth risk being charged with harboring a runaway. Harboring laws can vary by jurisdiction, so it may be an option to contact your local police to learn more about local laws. If a youth has been reported as a runaway, local police may be able to look up a case report. Missing person reports may be entered into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center database. Each state has their own way of qualifying missing person’s reports and has their own missing-child clearinghouse, which could help you understand whether this youth has been reported as a runaway. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also maintains a database on missing children and may be able to provide additional information on your situation.

We are happy to provide referrals to additional legal aid resources if you contact us directly by phone or live chat. We are available 24/7 by chat and our phone hotline. Our number is 800-RUNAWAY and our chat can be found at www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

Best,

NRS

I’m just wondering I need to know if a certain child is in CPS custody still he’s 16 he saying he’s out of CPS custody but I don’t believe him how do I find out if he has a CPS run away because I will not harbor a runaway

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did. It sounds like something was wrong at your group home that made you run away. We are sorry this happened to you.
As far as your question, no, it's not a felony to run away. In most states it's considered a status offence - something you can't do due to your age.
If you want to know more about the specifics of your case, you are welcome to call us and we can call out to your caseworker. it would be our phone number on their caller ID, so you are protected. We would serve as your ally and advocate to help you figure this out.
We for sure hope that you are in a safe place. If you don't want to call you caseworker, you can still reach out to us through this website via live chat, or through our phone hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). We are always confidential to you and anonymous.
We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS

I am 16 an in cps care i ran away from my group home. Is that a Felony charge

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. It sounds like you are considering leaving and want to know more about possible consequences. We are not legal experts and we cannot give legal advice, but we can speak generally on runaway laws. The age of majority in most states is 18 which is also the age you are able to choose where you live. If you decide to leave before turning 18, you could be reported as a runaway. Generally, running away is not illegal, but it is a status offense. You will not be charged with a crime but you can be returned to CPS custody if you are found or come into contact with law enforcement for another reason. If you have additional questions or you would like to talk more about your situation please do not hesitate to contact us directly by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Be safe,
NRS

I'm 17 in cps and turn 18 in July would cps be able to do anything and if so what would they be able to do if I ran away

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS (National Runaway Safeline) we’re here to help as best we can.
When it comes to aging out of foster care, it can be different per state. Some states will want to ensure you are stable and offer you to stay in foster care until you are 21, or have stable housing for over a year for you to be discharged from CPS. Others may expect you to become completely independent once you turn 18 and not assume any kind of responsibility or offer help. We aren’t legal experts here, but we can help find some free legal aid in your state who can help better answer your questions according to that states laws. You can get resources by calling us or chatting with us online. If you need any other help please feel free to contact us so that we can try to find the best resources for you.

We hope this helps.

Stay Safe,

NRS

Aye yo I'm about to turn 18 in a few days but my sister got a letter saying they gonna keep me in CPS what does that mean

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to share your situation with us here at NRS. It sounds like CPS has been mentioning removing children from your custody and you have been have difficulty communicating with them. Working with CPS can be a challenging system to navigate at times which is certainly frustrating when you are not clear on what is happening with your case. We are not legal experts here at NRS so we cannot speak to your case with CPS or what your options might be. A lawyer would best be able to help you through this process. If you contact us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat we are happy to refer you to a legal aid resource in your area. Legal aid can often provide free or low cost legal services and advice if you are eligible.

Take care,
NRS

I was told my kids wasn’t suppose to be removed once my wife died because she gave me written consent for them and also the biological father I’m all they know and now they removed me from the case as well as trying to move them out of state what do I do because it was never a probable cause to remove them

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing your situation with us. It sounds like you have been dealing with a lot at home. You mentioned that CPS is involved and might be removing you from your dad's custody. These sudden changes with some uncertainty can be really stressful and it was very resourceful to reach out for more information.

It sounds like CPS has previously been involved and you might have had other placements with other family members or even within the foster care system. We can't say for sure what might happen since it is ultimately up to your caseworker and the laws in your state. If your dad sent you somewhere without permission from CPS then they might take steps to reach out to those family members to ensure your safety or possibly move you to a different placement. Again, it is hard for us to predict what can happen because it is so specific to your individual situation. We know this must be very frustrating to have so many unknowns. We encourage you to reach out to your caseworker or a guardian ad litem if one has been assigned to you. The National Child Abuse Hotline might also be able to give you more information about some possible next steps from CPS and what could happen moving forward. You can speak to an advocate at www.childhelp.org.

If you would like to talk more about this situation, please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Stay strong,
NRS

It looks like we are going back to cps soon and being taken away from my dad. What would happen if he sent us to a different state where our mom lived. Would we be able to stay there in said state or would we be forced to go back? What would happen to my dad? Or the relatives that would take us

[ccsmod0]

Thank you for reaching out. Since we are not legal experts, you would need to reach out to the police or legal aid for this type of question. We do not want to provide you an incorrect answer.

If a juvenile dependency case was waiting to be heard in court and the juvenile (13yrs) ran away, what would likely be the outcome? If the runaway report was called in but police failed to meet (3times) to finish the report before the social worker filed a report that was accepted, are there any legal repercussions for the parent? California