running away while a ward of the state

[ccsmod15]

Hi, thanks for reaching out to us at NRS.

We’d like to say first of all that we are not legal experts, but we will answer your questions to the best of our ability. In most scenarios, running away is not necessarily illegal; however, some cities could have some loop holes that could lead to some legal trouble. For example, some exceptions would be if you had engaged in other illegal activity while away, or if there was already some intervention with the court that would lead to legal consequences for running away. It is also possible that running away is considered a “status offense,” meaning, it may go on your record as a youth, but would not follow you as an adult.

In terms of how long the police would search for you (is that what you mean by DCS?), it’s hard to say exactly how long they would search for you; however, we have heard that often they do not search as hard for youth who are that close to turning 18. In terms of how they search for you, our understanding is that if a police or runaway report was made, your name would be in a database, and so if you were stopped on the street by the police (for instance if they believe you should be in school), they would likely be able to associate you with the name in the database and would technically be responsible for returning you to your foster home.

Regarding your criminal record, as we stated above, it’s hard to say if that will make any difference if you were caught running away as a youth. It could be helpful to reach out to your local non-emergency line (often 311) and ask how they typically respond to runaways, and if there are legal implications. The search should stop when you are 18, as you would technically be an adult; again, unless you were a missing person and wanted by the police for other legal reasons.

We also are unable to state just how much trouble your boyfriend would get in if the police discovered that you had been living with him prior to becoming an adult. We do know that he could get into legal trouble for “harboring a runaway,” although we unfortunately cannot say what the legal implications would be, as they are often different in different city, states, or circumstances.

Please know that you can always give our 24/7 confidential hotline a call if you want to discuss this further and see if there are any local resources we can look into for you: (800) RUNAWAY, 1800runaway.org. You don’t have to go through this alone.

Best of luck!

NRS

Hi I am 17 years old and a ward of the state. I live in Indiana and know that running away is illegal. But I still want to runaway. How long would DCS search for me? How would they search for me? If they find me how much trouble would I get in? I have a criminal record already so does that matter? Would the search stop when I’m 18 or 21? I’m not on probation or anything at the moment though they did say if I do something stupid they would send me to Juvie or a residential placement. I am planning on running away to my boyfriend that is 19 and lives in Louisiana. How much trouble would he get in if he was caught with me as a runaway? Please don’t tell me not to runaway just answer my questions. Thank you

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

We are very sorry to hear your daughter and her boyfriend are currently missing and that your daughter's boyfriend is being mentally abused by his foster parent. A few things you may want to consider:

1) Notifying the police about the situation and that your daughter is missing. Running away is not normally considered a crime, so your daughter most likely would not get in trouble. But at least the police could be on the lookout for her. You could also file a runaway report through the NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678.

2) Networking with friends of your daughter or anyone else that might have some clues about the situation and where she might be.

3) Filing an abuse report on the foster parent that is abusing your daughter's boyfriend. You can do that through www.childhelp.org (1-800-422-4453). However, you may want to talk to your daughter's boyfriend first to see if he would like to have an abuse report filed.

4) Share our contact info with your daughter and her boyfriend. They can call or chat with us anytime and we are confidential. Hotline number: 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via www.1800runaway.org. Of course, you can also feel free to call us anytime if you'd like to discuss this matter further and figure out what other options there may be.

All the best,
NRS

my daughter will be 18 in Sept her boyfriend is 16 and is a ward of the state his foster parent is very mentally abusive to him and is doing everything he can to keep them apart.

her boyfriend said he was gonna run last night and wanted my daughter to go with him I have not heard from either of them since last night and I am worried sick please help

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you so much for reaching The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time and we want you to know that you are not alone.
If you have a legal guardian at 24 years old, you most likely would have a case manager or social worker. One option to consider would be to talk to them about your plans to leave and they can help you develop a plan. For safe measures it would be a good idea to have a safe place to stay in Washington State. Also keep in mind the cost of living and make sure you have enough to pay bills and for safety.
We would love to talk more about your situation and help you develop a safe plan. We are available 24/7 to listen and to provide support to you. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

Hi, I'm 24, I have a legal guardian and I'm in residential care in new hampshire, I wish to leave state and this life behind to go to Washington state, but I don't know the risks associated, my guardian as per what I heard years back in the guardianship case was it was supposed to be financial and medical only but everyone has treated it like it was full guardianship. Nowadays my money is handled by a payee from a agency. If I leave and go to Washington state, what would be the safest measures to take in order to start over as a whole new life and all?

[ccsmod15]

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. At which point police would be on the lookout for you. 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.
Emancipation would not happen automatically just by virtue of not living in a foster/group home. You usually would need to meet the basic requirements which generally include being able to support yourself without the help of the state, and having a good reason to be emancipated. If you feel you met those requirements you could then file through the courts to be emancipated. Usually the first step is finding a lawyer or legal aid resource to help you through the process.
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

I'm 17 and a state ward the system has been terrible and I have a safe place to run away to will they search for me or will I be ok or will I get emancipated I live in nebraska

[ccsmod15]

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 forum 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

Is there a law for a runaway that is 17 and a ward of the state was in an abusive situation

[ccsmod2]

Hello,

We’re really happy you reached out to us about your question. It sounds like you’re in a tough situation and wondering what you should do. Knowing the facts is always the first step to making sure you make smart and informed decisions.
If you are currently in a group home one option to consider is talking with a case manager about what you have been thinking and they can help you explore options and resources. If you are currently not in a group home in most states if you are 18 or older it would not be considered running away. But you can always call your local police department to find out the laws in your area because each person’s situation is different.
We know you mentioned not knowing where to go, that can be a hard decision and choice to make. One option is to talk with your past group home and see if they have spots available and what the process would look like. You can also talk with your friend to see if they would allow you to stay with them.
We hope this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore your options, please give us a call. We are here for you 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS

Hay I am 25 years old and I have no idea where to go from here on out I need too go to chickasha or back too my old group home in Woodward or back too ada Oklahoma or go live with my best friend but I'm so scared too run away because I have no idea where too go because i don't want too be homeless i just need help please

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to listen and here to help. It sounds like you are trying to figure out a difficult decision, and we are glad you reached out to us for help.
We are not legal experts but we do have some information on the laws. If you were to leave your foster home, they can report you as a runaway. If the police do find you they most likely would bring you back home if you were still 17. One option to consider is to talk to your case manager about your feelings and they may be able to provide you with some options.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore more options, please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to help and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

I’m a ward of the state and I’ll be 18 in 107 days. Well , I am currently in a foster home and I have been in this particular home for almost 2 years. But what would happen if I were to run away until I was 18? Could I still get into legal trouble?

[ccsmod3]

Thank you for reaching out to us. If your son is in police custody and chooses to run away he may face serious legal repercussions. Being a ward of the state means that the state is your legal custodian and acts as your guardian. Usually, people become their own guardians upon turning 18 but this can vary depending on if you are in the foster care system and opt to remain so or if a court finds you unable to care for yourself. We aren't legal experts here at NRS but if you are a ward of the state and leave your placement you will most likely be brought back to where you are supposed to live. This can vary greatly from state to state so it may be a good idea to reach out to a legal aid group for clarification on your state's laws. You can find a legal aid group near you by going to https://www.lawhelp.org/find-help/.