After running away at 17

[Guest]

I am seventeen years old and I am seriously looking into running away. I have money to get where I am going and somebody to run to who I trust and will take care of me 100%. I know I will make it to where I am going, but I am concerned about what will happen once I am there because I don't turn eighteen for another 9 months and I don't want to leave just in order to be dragged back home. I plan on leaving washington and going far far out of state. I was wondering what steps the police will take after my parents file a runaway report and after my name is put into the ncic system. How far will they go into searching for a seventeen year old that has left the state? What kind of proof do they need to come looking for me? Can they look for me solely based on my phone bill records and who I have been callling? Can they go to anybodys house to search for me just becuase their number appears on my phone record before I ran? I don't want to leave without having everything planned and all of my bases covered. I'm not having much luck figuring out the things above, and everyday I wait I feel more hopeless and confined. I'm not planning on hitting the streets, I just need to figure out everything before I go.

[ccsmod8]

Re: After running away at 17

Hello,

We are thankful that we have decided to reach out to explore options and to find out more about local laws concerning runaways. It sounds like you have already come up with a plan. It proves you have given this a lot of thought. Generally, we are able to explain the overarching aspects of laws governing runaway youth. Moreover, it is not considered illegal to run away but it is unlawful for others to harbor you.

However, it does not excuse your parents from filing a runaway report to track you or to allow the police to bring you home if you are found. It all depends on the local laws and police discretion if and when they find you. States varies but they can keep you in a shelter or juvenile hall until they get you home but they are not always required to go out looking for you.

It does not mean they won’t come looking if they had a hunch about your location. It may be a stretch on most occasions to get the police out looking for you because they do not always consider runaways a priority since it is not illegal to do so. It is likely that you are will be affected by the laws of your state even when you are in a different state but it does not exclude the state you run to from partaking in correspondence between police stations across state lines. It does not mean your parents cannot work closely with the police or the phone company to check on phone records.

We are here to assist you with resources or a proper plan if you need to reach out. We cannot talk you into or out of running away but our main concern is your safety. Have you ever thought about emancipation? We wish to hear from you to discuss this option if you are interested. We can be reached 24 hours a day at 1800RUNAWAY. We are confidential and anonymous. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: After running away at 17

The problem with emancipation is that it is a lengthy process that takes a lot of work and by the time i would be emancipated i would be 18 anyways.

But I was wondering, if i have a note signed by my mom granting me permission to leave and go where i please and that i dont have to go to my fathers because he is an alcoholic and its an unstable environment, how could i use it? My mom and i got into it recently and she signed the note but im pretty sure if i do leave she will go against it and say she never did. Im assuming a runaway report will be filed regardless, because she is always going back and forth on her word. How can i use the note to get away? If i left and was eventually picked up by the cops how would the note come into play? I just need to know if its worthless or if it will help me get out. Should i take it to the police before i leave? Or should i leave and keep it with me to show any authorities?

[ccsmod5]

Re: After running away at 17

Hey,

We're not quite sure how valid a document like that would be. If it's not verified by social services or notarized it might not hold much ground. If your mother wanted to let you go where you wanted you'd have to be emancipated or she'd have to relinquish her custody to someone that would take it on. As a minor, someone has to be your guardian.

What would your mom say if you decided to go to a shelter/transitional long-term living situation? If you wanted, you could go to a program that would take you in so you could live there and all your mom would need to do is to give you permission to go there. Once she says yes to a shelter, she probably wouldn't be able to file a report because the agency would have proof that she granted them the right to have you there.

Does that make sense?

If you're worried about your rights, going through social services or teen service agencies might be the best way to legally cover yourself.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Unregistered]

can i runaway at 17 and not go to juvenile detention

I was told of I keep running away they would put me in juvie is this true? I really don't want to be at home anymore there is to much abuse for me to handle. If I run
away for a day and then come back would I get in trouble?

[ccsmod10]

RE: can i run away at 17 and not go to juvenile detention?

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us during this difficult time. It sounds like you are facing some pretty severe problems at home. Just to let you know, we are not legal experts. However, we do know that you have some rights under the law. You have the right to feel safe in your own home. You also have the right to go to school regardless of your living situation.

If there is abuse going on, there are several different options. We are mandated reporters, meaning that if you wanted to call and give us specific details such as names, addresses and details of the abuse, we would have to contact law enforcement or child protective services. Of course, this is only if you want us to report it for you. If you are still in school, you may be able to talk to a trusted teacher or counselor about what is going on. A third option would be to call child protective services yourself and tell them why you do not feel safe in the home.

You also mentioned being concerned that you will face legal consequences if you run away again. Have you talked to a police officer or other legal authority about what would happen if you did run away again? If you are on probation or parole, there may be more specific rules and consequences placed on you regarding running away. As mentioned before we are not legal experts and cannot tell you what would or would not happen. We can however, offer you any resources that would be helpful and explore what options you have available.

We are available for you 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or by live chat at www.1800runaway.org from 4:30pm-11:30pm Central Standard Time. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

[Unregistered]

The abuse is mostly verbal but it has caused me to be diagnosed with depression. I want to live somewhere that I actually feel cared about and so on. I just want to runaway for a day to clear my head and figure out what to do I was going to talk to someone when I left to figure things out but I don't want to get into trouble. Is it true that if you are 17 then they wont look for you anymore?

[ccsmod10]

RE: after running away at 17

Hello again,

We are sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with depression; it can be difficult to face those struggles without the support of your family. It sounds like you want to run away for an evening but are not planning on leaving permanently. Although the laws vary from place to place, as long as you are considered a minor, your legal guardians are still are technically responsible. They have the right to report you missing. Have you tried talking with them about how they make you feel? Family counseling may be an option for your family as well.

Do you have somewhere safe to go? Again, we are not legal experts but we can explain the runaway laws. Technically, it’s not against the law to run away from home. In most places it’s considered a status offence. However, anyone you are caught staying with could possibly be charged with ‘harboring a runaway’ if your legal guardians decide to press charges. Have you talked to the person you would be staying with about taking this risk?

If you would like to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) we would be glad to discuss further options with you. We can also be reached at www.1800runaway.org from 4:30pm-11:30pm Central Standard Time. We hope you call in and we will talk to you soon.

-NRS

[Unregistered]

The person I am staying with is willing to take the risk to help me out. I have talked to my parents a lot to see if they can changes there ways but they wont. They wont even listen to me most of the time.

[ccsmod1]

The person I am staying with is willing to take the risk to help me out. I have talked to my parents a lot to see if they can changes there ways but they wont. They wont even listen to me most of the time.

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We’re sorry your parents won’t listen to you that must be difficult. However, with the information you’d provided we’re unsure what kind of help you’re looking for. We strongly suggest looking through the other threads to see if something resonates with you. Otherwise If you’d like to discuss the situation in more depth please give us a call at our 24 hour confidential hotline 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or live chat with us any day from 4:30-11:30pm central time.

Best of luck,
NRS Supervisor