im 16 (NC) my family is emotionally/verbally abusive, can i leave with someone i know

[Guest]

im 16, yesterday there was a cps case opened against my mother and my older sister for emotional and verbal abuse. theyre denying everything at the moment, and a lot has happened that led up to this situation. i dont feel safe and niether does my little trans brother at home, the only person i confide in is my boyfriend, who is 18 and lives with his grandparents. if something major happens and i end up leaving for safety and go with my boyfriend for a short while, will we get in trouble? i dont have any family near me (my dad lives in florida and hes abusive as well). ideally i want to live with my boyfriend's family with my brother but i dont know if thats acceptable in court. what can i do?

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thanks ever so much for reaching out to us. We are so sorry that things at home with your mother and older sister have been so difficult. It is never ok for anyone to be abusive towards you. It sounds like you are making a plan just in case things at home feel unsafe, but you have questions about whether whomever you stay with could get into trouble. Although we are not legal experts, we will try to share general information to help you figure out what you can do.

It sounds like your local CPS recently opened a case against your mom and your sister. If this is the case, they may have assigned a case manager. This person may be able to give you more information on who would be a good option as an alternative if your mom's home is deemed to be unsafe. It may also help to reach out to the local police department to find out what would happen if you fled to a friend's home because you felt unsafe in your own. They may be able to elaborate on whether whomever you stay with can be charged with harboring a runaway. A third option would be to reach out to your local legal aid agency to speak with someone familiar with the laws in your state. If you would like more information on local resources, or just need someone to talk to, feel free to give us a call or send us a chat.

Whatever you decide, know that we will be here to support you. We cannot tell you what to do, but we will do our best to help you stay as safe as possible as you decide what is best for you. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). We are here to listen, here to help.

Stay safe!
NRS