Colorado runaway laws

[A person]

I am curious of the punishment for running away in Coloado for a minor under the age of 18

[ccsmod7]

Re: Colorado runaway laws

Hello, thank you for reaching out to us. In most places, running away isn’t criminal in nature, so there shouldn’t be any legal repercussions for a minor who runs away. If you do runaway, your parents or guardians could file a runaway report with the police, and the police could force you to return home. Although running away isn’t a crime, harboring a runaway is a misdemeanor. Something to think about if you or whoever you would be staying with are concerned. We are not legal experts here, so if you would like to speak to someone about how your local police handle runaway cases, you could call your local police department and ask hypothetically how they would respond.

There’s a lot to think about when leaving home. Where to stay, how to get there, and how to pay for things are all challenges that many runaways come across. If you feel like you would benefit from talking to someone about your specific situation, we encourage you to call or chat with us.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

Can I leve home at the age of 17 without having to return home my step parents? I am adopted by the father but the mother has no strings attached to me. I would call but have no phone so the only thing I can really do is chat. People have told me to contact CPS at some point and that is what I plan to do when I leave but I want to make sure my step parents or law force or whatever could drag me back in with my parents. It would make my situation worse if I ran and had to come back but if I stay here I think I might just explode.I have a place to stay and everything set up but before I leave I need reassurance that I won't have to come back. Also is there any possible way to be emancipated without parental consent? My step parents would never let me walk away that easy and that's why I would need help fighting for independence or just to live with someone else a friend, other relative, I would basically live anywhere else but where I am right now? Think you can help answer some of my questions?

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like things you’re dealing with a lot with your step parents, but all of your questions make sense.

We’re not legal experts, but our understanding is that it’s not illegal to run away. It’s what’s called a status offence. That means that if you run away, your guardians can file a runaway report. If they do that, the police’s job is to return you to your parents.

In some instances, the police may not pursue the case very aggressively. If a youth is close to the age of 18, for example, they may not search very much. If you do get access to a phone, you can get a feel for how they might handle a case like yours by calling the police non-emergency line anonymously. You could describe a case like yours and ask how they might handle it, and you don’t have to identify yourself.

It’s also worth thinking about whether you parents even would file a runaway report. Some youth live in an alternate arrangement with no runaway report filed. As a runaway, you have a right to attend school, according to the McKinney-Vento act.

Like people have been telling you, contacting CPS is an option, too, if you are experiencing neglect or abuse. Guardians lose guardianship if they do things like that. If you do get access to a phone, you could call Child Help anonymously, to see if what you’re dealing with falls into those categories, and talk through what reporting would look like. They have to report any abuse you mention if you give your name, so if you don’t you can explore these options without committing to anything. Their number is 1-800-422-4453.

There is a legal process called emancipation. Our understanding is that a youth has to demonstrate that they can support themselves without a guardian, and that this can be a pretty drawn out legal process. We do have numbers for free or sliding scale legal resources throughout the US, so we could provide those if you contacted us via chat or on the phone.

It’s awesome that you have people who support you and a place to stay. If you do leave, consider having other people in your support network as well who you can reach out to, just in case your situation changes, or for emotional support.

We hope this gives you a little more information, and helps you answer your questions.

[Guest]

My 14 year old son and I got into a fight. He broke 2 of my TVs and destroyed his bedroom door. He said some pretty hateful words after that so I told him to leave my house. Since then I have told him to come home and he says no. I want to report him as a runaway but I am totally lost as what to do since because of the fight we had I did tell him to leave my house.

[ccsmod9]

Hi there,
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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. While we are not legal experts from what we know you can file a runaway report and have the cops bring him back if they find him. It might be a good idea to talk somewhere in public. Talk about goals and rules that you want to set out. Even though you told him to leave you are still liable for him and could be caught in neglect if you aren’t actively looking for him (meaning you at least file a runaway report) after that you cannot be held liable for him because you have all the law asks of you. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I’m 17 and living in Colorado.My parents are divorced and i live with my mom half the time and my dad the other half of the time. My mom is very mentally abusive and made me and my brother shower with her on middle school and high school and often asked me when i was younger if i wanted to “makeout like a boyfriend and girlfriend do”. I want to pack up my things and leave and stay with my dad, if my mom called the cops on my and considered me a runaway what could the police officers do? would they take me back to her house? Am i aloud to choose which house i want to stay at?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, thanks for posting! Home with your mom sounds really challenging and feels like you are feeling unsafe. You deserve to feel safe at home! What you describe may actually be considered abuse. We are not legal experts, especially regarding custody. Child Help (1-800-422-4453, childhelp.org) is the national child abuse hotline and they can give more info on what is considered abuse, how to report (only if you wanted to), and how to stay safe and/or get custody transferred to someone else, like your dad full time. You may also consider talking to your dad about living with him full time and see if he can go to court and do so. If you have a case worker or advocate from when your parents divorced, they can also help you with this! Again, we a re not legal experts, but at 17, many teenagers are able to choose which parent to live with if they are divorced.

Perhaps there is also a neutral party who can help you talk to your parents. We offer conference calling if you wanted help talking to your dad about this. Call 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929. You can also consider asking extended family members, a neighbor, family friend, etc for helping talking to your dad about this.

If you want more information on the abuse your mom is doing, rainn.org is another resource for you.

You have shown a lot of strength in reaching out! We are here to support you and can best do so directly so call anytime or live chat with us on our website (using the link at the top of this page).

[Guest]

Is it illegal to harbor a runaway in Colorado if that teen is being abused at home?

[ccsmod4]

Hello,

Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.

While we are not experts on the law, anyone found to be assisting or aiding someone to run away may also find themselves at risk legally. For more specifics on the law, you might consider contacting the local non-emergency number for the police. You might also look for a legal aid center in the area. They may be able to answer any legal questions on the subject. There are laws to protect minors against abuse. No one deserves to be abused. It is not the fault of the person who is being abused. To file an abuse report for a minor contact Child Help at 1-800-422-4453. Once a report is taken an investigation likely will follow. The minor may be removed from the home and placed in protective custody either with a relative, foster or group home.

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

If I ran away when I'm 16 can I live by myself in Colorado

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to NRS with your question. We want you to know that we are here 24/7 as a support for you as you take your next steps.

Leaving home is a big decision to make and taking this step can be difficult. Having a solid plan about what you are planning on doing might be a good idea so that you can think about what is and is not realistic for to do. Living alone will likely not be possible as a minor since you are not able to sign contracts. This means you are not able to rent a place to live in or rent a room at a hotel. Planning on living with a friend or family member who can take you in would ensure you have safe place to live. There are some factors you can take into consideration that might help you as you put together your plan and make decisions about your next steps (i.e. where are you going to be living [long term vs. short term], what's your role in the house, are you going to be working/going to school, will you be paying your share of the bills/rent, what happens if you realize down the road that you can't live together and they kick you out, etc). It's certainly a jump step to make and we want you to be as safe as possible when making your decision.

Something to be aware of is that if you leave home without permission your parents can report you as a runaway. to the police. Running away is not illegal, but it is a status offense. If your parents/ the police find out where you are staying or you come into contact with law enforcement, they will most likely arrange for you to be returned home.

We truly want to be a support for you as you decide on your next steps. We are available 24/7 to listen and help as much as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone or chat if you would like to talk more in-depth about your situation and explore your options. You can contact us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org.

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

if i run away and get brought back by the cops and run away again after they leave will i be in trouble at 16

[ccsmod3]

Hey there.

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step.

Running away in itself is typically not considered a crime, but it may be considered a status offense. While it's tough to say if this *would* happen, it's definitely important to know that it *could* happen. In Colorado, a runaway youth may be taken into custody without a warrant by a police officer. The youth may be declared a dependent child by the court, and then may be returned back home to their guardian/parent or placed in an appropriate living situation under the guidance of the county Department of Social Services. It's also possible that the youth be placed in the custody of a child care facility or DSS, or ordered to undergo treatment. Essentially the courts then become involved in your care, making decisions based on what they think is best for you.

If you have any other questions on the legal side of things, it might help to consult with a legal professional.

If you'd like to chat in more detail about your situation, please feel free to reach out to us directly by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY or by chatting with us live at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

My parents never support me and they're very strict and I don't trust them. They're always lowering my self-esteem as well. This has been going on for years and I hate it. I'm 15 but I have no freedom whatsoever. I just want to know whether these reasons would be reason enough to runaway. My best friend's mom would probably adopt me if I asked her to, but I don't want to get her in trouble and I wouldn't want to be returned to my house by the cops if I got caught.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for writing us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We’re glad you reached out, we understand that it takes great courage to do so. It seems like there is a lot that you are facing right now and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. While we are not experts of the law, 18 is usually the age an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Anyone found to be assisting or aiding someone to run away may also find themselves at risk legally. For more specifics on the law, you might consider contacting the local non-emergency number for the police. You might also look for a legal aid center in your local area. They may be able to answer any legal questions on the subject.

We’d like you to know that we are here to listen and help through this challenging time. If you’d like to talk more in detail, we can best help you by phone or chat. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929); or www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). Please feel free to call or chat soon.

Take care,

NRS.

[Guest]

If I decided to *runaway* or just leave my moms house In Colorado without her permission for say; a while and still go to work, but come home one day and leave again. What exactly would happen?? Would I technically be a runaway??

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by forum to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

hi so i’ve been getting in a lot of trouble lately and my parents have said some really hurtful things to me and i need a break from my house. i have a place to stay but i don’t want my dad to call the police or anything and i would tell him where i would be going, would the person im staying with face any charges and would this come up in my cps case if my dad called the police? i would return home but i do not want to be here for a few days .

[ccsmod16]

Hello, thank you for reaching out to us. Sorry to hear that your parents have been saying hurtful things to you, which can understandably be very upsetting.

If you do runaway, your dad does have the option to file a runaway report with the police, and the police could force you to return home. Although running away isn’t a crime, harboring a runaway is a misdemeanor. Something to think about for the person you are staying with. We are not legal experts here, so if you would like to speak to someone about how your local police handle runaway cases, you could call your local police department and ask hypothetically how they would respond.

There’s a lot to think about when leaving home. If you feel like you would benefit from talking to someone about your specific situation, we encourage you to call or chat us through this website so that we can better listen and help. We work best when we can have a conversation with you. We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I am 17 years old and am living in an abusive/neglectful enviornment. My parents are going through a divorce, they are both verbally and mentally abusive towards me and my siblings and often times will buy us things just so they can use them against us as a punishment. The stress of living here is too much and I'd like to leave as soon as possible, I've tried reporting them to no avail and even went to therapy where they manipulated my therapist into believing their side and took me out of therapy. They refuse me any meds for my depression, anxiety and severe adhd disorders which causes me a lot of mental pain at times. I'd like to know if you HAVE to tell my parents that i'm there once I arrive, and i'd also like to know if i'll have my own room once I recieve housing. My parents also do not believe in vaccines so I am unvaccinated and have a severely immunocompromised system, I have some money to my name but not much. I live in Pennsylvania so I'd like to know if it'd be possible for me to get housing here as a 17 year old, get treated and leave without any legal battles. Thank you.

[ccsmod2]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting NRS. It sounds like you are dealing with an overwhelming situation at home. It also seems like you’ve reflected on the pros and cons of leaving home, and even considered your siblings.



Reporting abuse can get mixed results. You may be able to try a different avenue to report the abuse, especially if you are concerned for your siblings. Child Help is possibly another resource you could try to report the abuse https://www.childhelp.org/. In terms of mental health resources, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting 741741, or you can contact the 24-Hour Mental Health Delegate Line at 215-685-6440.



There are a few factors to consider when seeking housing. If you are going to be 18 soon, you may not need to wrroy very long about being reported as a runaway, as you will be considered an adult. Policies tend to differ at different shelters. I see you are in Pennsylvania, and we can chat with you to brainstorm more specific shelter, mental health resources in your state. You can contact us by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our live chat 24 hours by visiting our website at www.1800runaway.org.



Take good care of yourself,

NRS

[Guest]

im 16 and my and my little brother ran away from our dads 2 weeks ago and today i just had to come back but my brother ran away again and im having a really hard time being here my situation is hard. but if i run away again tomorrow what can happen?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by forum to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

My son is friends with a child who is on the missing persons list for Colorado. This child has been considered missing for more than 6 months. They are said to be living with a parent but that person does not share any name association. Should I let anyone know? This child is enrolled in a Colorado public school.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. If the parent is aware that the youth is on a missing person’s list, the parent can call to get them removed.
One option to consider would be to call The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at: 1800-843-5678. They can let you know if the child is still on the database and how to remove them if they are no longer missing.
Also you mentioned that the child is living with a parent but does not share any name association, we are not legal experts but do have some information. If the person that the child is with does not have custody they may get in trouble for harboring a child. If you are worried about the safety of the child, you could always call the local police department. The safety of the child is the most important thing and any safety concerns should be reported to police.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. We are here to listen and provide support 24/7. Please give us a call at 1800-RUNAWAY (1800-786-2929), or you can chat with us online.
Best of Luck,
NRS