Haboring a Runaway in California

[Guest]

I have a friend that I've known for a few years (same age as I) who recently ask me if he could stay at my place for a while since his Adoptive Parents are, from the way he puts it, abusive and neglectful and he's worried about being sent back to foster care if CPS got involved, and while I'm more than willing to help him, we're both worried about any legal issues that could come up against Me/My Parents if his parents decided to have police involved.

Asking here because I'm having issue getting any sort of definitive answer on my own research.

[ccsmod15]

Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out, we appreciate you seeking help for you and your friend, and we’re here to assistance you in any way that we can.

With that being said, you mentioned that you’re trying to provide shelter for your friend that has been going through abuse, but fear the consequences that it might bring. You’re a really great person for wanting to assist someone while they endure a difficult time in their life. Unfortunately we aren’t legal experts, but if your friend decides to leave without consent from a guardian, then the guardian can file a runaway report with the authorities, and your family may face some consequences for harboring a runaway. An option to consider would for your friend to reach out to their case worker, and letting them know what is going on at home, the caseworker may be able to assist your friend to remove them from the situation that they’re in.

We hope this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and explore options. We wish you the best of luck!