How far would police go to find me?

[Guest]

Running away.

Hello, I really hate living with my mother, I’m 14 years old I don’t get to go anywhere and I have depression I harm my self a lot when me and my mother get into arguing, I went to my girlfriends house ONE time for one night & I came back & she hit me because I came home “too late” and it was only 10 my mom hits me a lot and yells a lot, I want to go stay with my girlfriend and her mom said it would be okay but will they get in serious trouble if I go and do this ?? Help please!

[ccsmod10]

Thank you for telling us your story and reaching out. It can be difficult telling others what has happened to you. We want you to know that no one deserves to be abused, and you should not have to go through that. If you haven’t already, you could consider reporting the abuse you’ve been experiencing. If you want more information about abuse reporting or if you want to file a report, you could call Child Help at 1-800-422-4453.

We’re not legal experts here at NRS. Generally it’s not illegal to leave home, but your parents could file a runaway report, the police could get involved, and they could bring you home. The people you’re staying with could potentially get in trouble for having you stay there without your mom’s permission. You could consider calling your local nonemergency police department to ask about their policies. We also have legal aid resources here if you have specific questions about the laws in your state.

If you don’t feel safe and feel like you need to get away Nationalsafeplace.org provides a safe location for you to meet a staff member who can take you to a designated place where you can discuss all options about how to stay safe. You can text 44357 the word “safe,” and your location to find a safe location in your area. Once you arrive let someone who works there know you need help connecting with a staff member.

You mentioned depression and self-harm. If you’re not currently getting mental health resources, it can be really helpful to get treatment. As your mental health suffers, you have -limited ability to handle the other stressors in your life. You can contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to connect you to mental health resources at 1-800-950-6264 or NAMI.org. Another resource to consider is To Write Love on Her Arms TWLOHA.com. TWLOHA provides support and services that could be helpful for you. You may also want to talk to your school because they should have a counselor for you.

One service we can offer is to conference call with your mom. This way you could have a conversation with your mom but you would not be alone. For example, it may be hard for you to explain to your mom how you are feeling and that you would like to see things change. Sometimes those conversations go better in a conference call because we can advocate for you. If you want to reach us, you can chat with us anytime at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We’re here 24/7, and we are ready to listen and help however we can.


Wish you the best

-NRS.

[Guest]

I want to leave because I'm uncomfortable where I live and I want to know if police would track my phone? I don't think they would go that far but I don't know for sure.

[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. 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

[Guest]

Police research

Would police track my phone if I was running away? I dont think they would go that far but you never know.

[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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. After reading over your story it just depends on the situation they have the power to do it. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, 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.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I'm going to runaway to a different city but I want to know if police would actually search for me in a different city. If they do I'm taking my chances.

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today.

Generally speaking, if you are listed as runaway police will generally look in places that your parents say you might be. They would not look in unsuspecting places for you. However, they could look in a different city for you if they have reason to believe you are there, or that you went to someone there. Police departments in different cities can work together to knock on doors at places you might be.

We hope this information is helpful. Please call or chat us if you would like to talk through your situation: 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I’m seventeen and I’ll be eighteen in November and I live in alabama, I don’t like living where I live. I live with my grandmother and I am not happy here. Nothing illegal is going on, I simply just can not be happy here. I want to leave. I did leave about a week ago and they found me yesterday and made me go home with them but instead they took me to a hospital and tried to put me in the psych ward because I “ran away” even though I was keeping contact with my grandmother the whole time I was gone. My grandmother told me it was illegal for me to have left and that I have to stay here until november when I’m eighteen. but I really can’t wait any longer, if I leave my house again can they legally bring me back? I can’t live here any longer I want to know how i can leave without being brought back... please help me.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time right now. Being unhappy where you live can be really stressful as you deserve to be happy.
We are not legal experts but we do have general information on the laws. Because you are a minor if you were to leave home your grandmother could file a runaway report. If the police do find you they most likely would bring you home. Also if you are still attending school and if you leave and become truant you could get in trouble for that. Because you are so close to being 18 the police may not take a runaway report for you, but it depends on each police department. One option to consider is talking to a school counselor about why you are unhappy, sometimes talking with someone can make you feel better.
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 to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

I am going to get emancipated and I read that in Colorado I must not be living with my parents, must have income, and have access to insurance. I must run away to get the process started how long will the cops continue the search for me?????

[ccsmod15]

Hi there. It looks like you also started a new topic relating to your situation in another thread. Find our response there at: https://bulletinboards.1800runaway.o...pation-process

But, in brief, it's possible the police will continue to consider you a runaway till your case is closed. Check out our more detailed response above. Stay safe!

[Guest]

What happens if I runaway with a baby?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to NRS. It is really responsible of you to want know more about possible consequences for leaving home. In general, if you leave home without your parent or guardian's permission before you turn 18, they can file a runaway report. This does not mean you would get arrested or get into legal trouble. Running away is something that you cannot do because of your age, so police would likely return you home. We are not sure how having a baby might affect this and runaway protocol can differ by state.

We can best be of help by phone (1-800-786-2929) or our online chat services. Please do not hesitate to call or chat with us if you want to talk in more detail about your situation.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, i live in maricopa az and i feel mentaly abused and generaly unwanted in my house hold i am going to run away i have no phone and no money and i turn 17 in january of 2020 i know where i want to go i just want an outside opinion

[ccsmod15]

Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out, we appreciate you seeking help during this difficult time.

To begin with, you mentioned that you feel that you’re getting mentally abused in your home. It sounds like you’re going through a difficult time right now, and we want you to know that you’re not alone. An option to consider would be to talk to a school counselor, and let them know what has recently been going on at home. They may be able to sit down with you, and have a heart to heart about what issues have been upsetting you, and go from there. If you feel like your mental state is at risk, you may want to explore the option of reaching out to the national alliance on mental illness at 1800) 950-6264.

Furthermore, you stated that you want to run away from home as well. We aren’t legal experts, but in most states anyone under 18 is considered a minor. If you decide to run away, your legal guardians may file a runaway report with the authorities, and whoever harbors a runaway, may face some legal consequences. We want you to be safe, and if at any time you feel like that is at jeopardy, you may text the word safe and your location to 44357. The national safe place will text you a safe location, and a caseworker will be out to assist you. Another option to explore would be to contact your local non-emergency number, and ask them what the laws and consequences are in your area.

We hope that you can seek help from these resources, and want you to know that we care about your safety, you’re not alone in this battle. In fact, you’re really brave for going through this difficult time in your life. If for whatever reason you require additional assistance, or want us to make a call on your behalf, feel free to call us at 1800) 786-2929. Best of luck!

[Guest]

How long would turkey police look for a 16 year old my son went missing a week ago and they are trying to send me home do I have to go home or can I stay in turkey how long Intill they stop looking for him

[ccsmod15]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us. As we are based in the US, we are unfamiliar with the laws and police procedure in Turkey. For help with this matter, try contacting the embassy or consulate for your country representing Turkey. Here is a link to US facilities in Turkey: https://tr.usembassy.gov/ This is a child helpline for Turkey that we found from an archived website. It may still be active, and we hope that it is.
Genclik Destek Hatti - 0850 455 00 70
We wish you and your family the best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello

Well if I runaway and fly to another country. Can the police track my flight and know where I am?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are thinking about running to another country. Unfortunately, here at NRS we are not legal experts and we can answer questions about national runaway laws generally. However, we can not speak to international laws or other country's laws. It might be difficult for you to board an international flight as a minor without parental consent. Police would generally only look in suspecting places for you, not all around the world. However, it is possible that governments could work together with American Embassies if you are found.

While we cannot answer these questions, we are always here for you if you need to talk about what you are going through or if you need any local resources. Don't hesitate to call or chat us if you need: 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

My mom is what some people call it the ¨root¨ of all evil and she is a pretty toxic mother she poses herself as a cool kid but as soon as I get home she starts being mean to me threatening my relationship I just want to run away and not let anybody else know like wanna run away and change my name to like Benjamin Button or something along those lines... but what I am trying to say is my mom got mad because I started an open bond with her and told her all my secrets about how me and my girlfriend went through what some people call it a normal living thing around my age, I'm 15 years old, and I just want everyone to understand that this woman is trying to pull me away from me and my life she is trying to homebound me for no apparent reason she lies to the cops.. and they don't believe her most of the time and I live in chesterfield county Virginia what should i do?

[ccsmod6]

Hi there, thanks so much for reaching out. We're sorry to hear that you're having such problems with your mom. Nobody deserves to have toxic parents like that. We're sorry that your mom is being threatening to you and your relationship. Having a support system can be really important when people are dealing with situations like that. You might find relief by talking with your girlfriend, or other friends, about what's going on at home. You also deserve to be trusted when you tell people what happens. If you're feeling really distressed over everything that's going on, you could also try to talk with your school's counselor, or see if your parents would be willing to connect you to a therapist. If you want to talk more, we'd be so happy to talk to you. You can chat us online at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-786-2929.

[Guest]

I heard someone say something about running away until your 18 because that's when the police stops and drops your name for runaway. I also heard that the police are rarely active when runaways do make that move. is it true that in Illinois you can runaway until 18 and they stop looking?

can I runaway at 17 and be removed from runaway list at 18 in Chicago?

[ccsmod0]

Hey there,

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. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth. After you turn 18, your guardians can then report you as a missing person rather than a runaway, but at that point, the police would not be required to return you home as if you were a runaway because you would be of legal age.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

i’m 17 and turn 18 on august 27th. i’ve been traveling the country since i was 15, hitting the road almost exactly 2 years ago at the end of february. i was doing fine traveling with my partner, making good money playing music and picking up odd jobs. i decided my grandma and dad (who live together) would like to see me for christmas, so, me and my partner drove to come see them in louisiana. they have now decided that they won’t let me leave until i’m 18 and want me to stay here forever. they made my partner leave 2 days ago, and i’ve never felt so wrong or empty in my life. they want me put in therapy because they say ‘something is wrong with me’ about how i’m depressed all the time but they don’t realize that’s because i’m here and not doing what makes me happy (what i HAVE been doing for the past two years.) when i try to tell them that they say my happiness and what i want doesn’t matter because i’m a child, even though i’ve been providing for myself for two years. if i were to run away, would police notify other police out of state/around the country to look for me? also, if i were over 1,000 miles away would they still bring me home?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen.
It seems like you are in a tough situation, because you have had independence for the last two years and now it is taken away from you.
We are not legal experts so it is hard to say. If you were to run away your legal guardian could file a runaway report and if the police did find you they most likely would bring you home. Some police do take reports seriously and will look for you other police departments may not. It varies case to case.
We apologize we could not give you a more straightforward answer. But we do hope this information will help. If you have any more questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

My bf is 13 right now and i'm 14, his mom is mentally abusing him to the point he wants to kill himself I don't know what to do and he is planning on breaking in and living in an abandoned trailer near me I don't know what to do I wanna help him and I wanna tell my mom but i'm afraid that she is going to call the cops and I don't wanna get in trouble and if he goes to his dads he will get phycisal abused so it is the best option for him to run away I don't know what to do we live In Maine. and he is running away today I really need him so what can I do and not get us in trouble??

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thank you so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline! It sounds like you and your boyfriend are going through a lot right now, and it’s great that you are so supportive of him. It’s clear that you care about your boyfriend and that you care about his safety too. Your boyfriend doesn’t deserve to be mentally abused or physically abused. It’s not his fault at all that his parents are treating him in those ways.

His safety is important, and if he feels that running away is his safest option, it’s not illegal for your boyfriend to run away. We’re not legal experts, but as long as he isn’t doing anything illegal after he leaves home (like stealing, doing illicit drugs, etc.) he won’t get into legal trouble. If he leaves home and his mom files a runaway report with the police, this would mean that if the police found your boyfriend, they would bring him back home.

If your boyfriend wants to talk to someone about his relationship with his parents, he can call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. They can help him talk through different options like filing an abuse report or contacting CPS or DCFS if that is something he wants to do. Here is also the number for National Safe Place. He can text the number 44357 and text the word SAFE and his location, and it will respond with different places like libraries or fire stations he can go to stay warm and be inside for a little while. If he feels safe talking to someone about his situation, there may be a counselor at his school that he could talk to who could have some resources and options to help him out as well.

Again, we’re really glad you reached out to us. It takes a lot of strength to ask for help, and it’s great to see that you’re trying to figure out which options are going to work best for you and your boyfriend. If you want to talk further about yours and your boyfriend’s situation, we are open 24/7 and you can always reach out to us. We’re here to listen at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

-NRS