17 y/o

[Guest]

Hello, i am 17, turning 18 in two weeks. while I am planning to move out without my parents knowing, the day after my birthday, i am wondering if local police would search for me if i left now. Since i am so close to turning 18, im curious if i can leave earlier (my family can be emotionally abusive, and i am scared to stay here any longer, but cannot make a case to the cops, as my parents are good at putting up a front that we are healthy. Though i am extremely unhappy here.) I live in maryland. I was wondering if you or someone could call local police and ask if me leaving at 17, two weeks before my 18 birthday, would be an issue or be considered a status offense. I am curious if it would be allowed or not, and if my family can reclaim me during those two weeks before i turn 18.

[ccsmod15]

Hello there,

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like home is not an emotionally safe environment for you and we are deeply sorry for that. Everyone deserves to feel safe, validated, and cherished. Since you are 17, you are still technically considered a minor in Maryland and cannot legally live on your own, nor with friends / family without parental consent. But we are not legal experts and we also cannot predict what the police might decide to do in case your family files a runaway report if you leave. We can offer you support through whichever path you decide to take and help you safety plan. Moving out is a big decision, and it’s important to make sure that you have people who support you and a plan so that you can stay as safe as possible. NRS is available 24/7 and confidential if you want to talk. You can reach us by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY or live chat on our website if you want help working out a plan and deciding on the best option for you, finding resources, or even if you just want to talk to somebody. If you give us a call we can also call out to the police non-emergency number for you to see how they might answer your question. We hope to hear from you soon.

Stay safe,
NRS