I’m trying to help my girlfriend and we’re both fifteen

[Guest]

I’ve known my girlfriend for five years and we’ve always stuck together. She was in a bad home with her aunt a few months ago. She wasn’t allowed out of the house and couldn’t talk to her friends. She hated it there and her aunt only told her how disgraceful she was. But she’s a great person and always tries to help anyone she can. But she was kicked out by her aunt and put into foster care. But now child protective services are trying to put her back in a home with her aunt. And she’s terrified. Horrible things happened to her there and she was miserable. But we decided they make her go back that she would runaway and stay with me and my grandmother. But i don’t know if it would result in any legal action against my grandma or me by the state. I can’t let her end up there again and I need help. I don’t want to lose her she can’t be alone like that

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We're sorry to hear about all that she has been going through but we are glad that she has someone like you looking out for her. She has the right to feel safe and happy in her home. We are not legal experts, but we can tell you that because she is a minor, if she leaves home and her aunt files a runaway report, she could be returned home. There could also be legal consequences for you and your grandma for what is called harboring a runaway. One thing she or both of you can do is reach out to Child Help to ask about her rights as a minor and see if there is a way to get a different family member to have custody over her. They can be reached at 1-800-422-4453. If you want a liner to help you walk through other options like us mediating a conference call between her and her aunt about her feelings, thinking through possible adults that she could turn to or could advocate for her, or things like emancipation and legal aid numbers, don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Best,

NRS