What will happen after I help someone runaway?

[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 did. While it's great that you want to help your friend runaway from a mentally abusive home by letting them stay with you, the short answer to your question is: yes, you can get in trouble for doing so. Of course there's more to it, a lot of which is going to have to do with the state you're living in, but it's definitely important to be aware of any legal ramifications that could arise for letting someone (presumably under the age of 1 stay with you.

If you'd like more information as it pertains to your particular situation and area that you live in, please feel free to give us a call (1-800-RUNAWAY) or pop in for a quick chat (1800runaway.org). We're available 24/7 and are always happy to help!

Take care.

NRS

Can I get in trouble for helping my friend runaway from a mentally abusive home and letting them stay at my place?

[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. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police.
Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, contact the local non-emergency number to the police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
There are laws to protect children that are faced with abuse. If your friend would like more information or assistance with filing an abuse report contact Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org
You did a good thing by reaching out on behalf of your friend. They probably appreciate your support especially since this is a tough time for them. Good job.
If you would like to speak more about this situation, please contact NRS at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800runaway.org

Take care,
NRS

My friend has an abusive and uncareful mother at home. She is 13 and I am 10. We are in the same neighborhood... Would it be legal for her to runaway to my house? (I live in AZ).

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out. Sounds like you are in a difficult situation with your girlfriend wanting to run to you.

We are not legal experts but we can speak generally. Yes, it is possible for you to get in trouble if your girlfriend runs to you since you are a legal adult. If her guardians report her as a runaway with local police, and she is found at yours, her parents could attempt to press harboring a runaway charges against you. That is a misdemeanor charge.

We are here to listen and help if you or your gf would like to call or chat us and talk through the situation: 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org. We can help brainstorm your options, provide support, and look for resources if needed.

Best,

NRS

I have a gf who is in the 15¬17 age group and she wants to run away to my house but im not sure if I will get in trouble because im 18.

Will i get into trouble if i help my gf runaway?

[ccsmod11]

It looks like you reached out for the same issue earlier today. NRS understands it takes courage to reach out for help; therefore, we would like to minimize the need for you to repeat your situation and avoid offering you duplicate services. Please do not hesitate to call or chat if you would like to talk more about your situation have any questions or would be interested in any resources.

my friend is being emotionally abused in her household she is 17 and im 15 and me and a friend want to get her to a safe place she would be living with him he is 18 and with his parents. Can we get in trouble with law enforcement?

[ccsmod13]

Thank you for reaching out to NRS!

It sounds like you have been trying your best to be supportive of your step brother and found a way to get him back home. But now you are concerned that one or both of you might get into trouble because your step brother had to sneak out. It is really thoughtful of you to be looking out for yourself and your brother.

We are not legal experts by any means, but we can share what we do know about runaway situations. You mentioned that your brother went back home from his mom’s, so we are not sure who his guardians or parent with custody are. Leaving without permission gives your step brother’s legal guardian the right to file a runaway report. Running away is not illegal, it is known as a status offense. If located by the police, your step brother will not be arrested, but he most likely will be returned to his guardian. If you felt comfortable doing so, you can contact the non-emergency number for your local police department to ask some of your questions anonymously. We can also help you contact the police to ask questions if you called the hotline at 1-800-786-2929.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or 1800runaway.org if you have any more questions!
Good Luck,
NRS

I helped my step brother run away by buying him a train ticket back home from his moms house but he had to sneak out, so it’s a runaway. How much trouble can he get in and how much can I get in? I’m 17 he’s 15

[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. 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. It might be a good idea to first report why you are leaving home to the Police so that way they can be more informed about why you are leaving. 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 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

Ok. So I'm 16 and 5 months from being 17. Will me or my family members get in trouble for helping me get away from a abuseive mother? (In Michigan)

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out for your girlfriend, you do seem like a great support for her.

You mentioned that she is wanting to run because she is experiencing many different levels of abuse. That seems pretty infuriating and unsafe, no one deserves to be abused. If she is interested, she does have the right to report any abuse and/or neglect to Child Protective Services. To learn more about her reporting options and what that process looks like, you all might reach out to the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453. She can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY if she would like someone on the phone with her when calling to report the abuse.

Generally, in most states the legal age where she can leave home without permission is 18. So if her grandparents are her legal guardians they could file a runaway report for her if she left without permission. Typically if she is found as a runaway she would be returned home. It is smart of you to think about talking to her grandparents since she can live elsewhere with her guardian's permission. There might be more options available to her if we knew more about her situation. You might give her our number 1-800-RUNAWAY if she would like to talk over her situation and help with brainstorming her options and plan moving forward.

Thanks again for reaching out for your girlfriend, we really appreciate you. Call or chat us if you ever would like to have a conversation about her situation.we are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS


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My girlfriend, age 17, wants to run away from her grandparents house, they abuse her in many different levels, and me being a caring boyfriend wants to do anything i can to help her, but legally it doesn't seem like there is much i can do, if anyone could tell me anything i could try, i have all ears open, i am going to talk to her grandparents later to see if i can get their consent on her living with my family for a little while

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to help and support.

It sounds like you are in a hard situation and are unsure of where to turn. We are not legal experts so it sounds like you are taking the right steps by contacting a lawyer. There are laws about harboring and aiding and abetting a minor, but they differ from state to state and even sometimes county to county. Another good thing to do if you haven't already is to file a runaway report for him and also ask your local police questions about the laws surrounding your situation and what your options are. Since they have crossed state lines, you could also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678. Your grandson's name would be put in a national database to aid in finding him and you would be able to get more support besides the police in locating him.

Good luck, and don't hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 if you want to walk through any of these options or need more support.

NRS