What Parents Should Know About Runaways
While everyone wishes they had the perfect family life, the truth is, behind closed doors everyone is fighting a battle you may not even see. For centuries, there have been examples of parents who have been at odds with their children. There are a plethora of reasons a child might consider running away and there are a few things every parent should know.
When is a child considered a runaway?
A child is legally considered a runaway if they are under the age of 18 and leave home without their parent’s permission. There are some exceptions to these guidelines like if the minor is already married or has a court order allowing them to live away from home. There are some locations that consider minors under the age of 14 and 15 to have stayed away from home for a night or two and elect not to return home.
What do I do if my child runs away?
If your child runs away from home, you should immediately contact the police and make a missing child report. It is then up to the police on how, when, and where they will investigate a runaway situation. Some of the criteria they look at are the child’s age and emotional state. If you have an exact address of your child’s location, the police will search there first.
What happens when my child is found?
The police will handle how to handle almost every runaway situation. There are occasions when the police may give your minor child a ticket, or citation. They may just give your child a warning. The police have the decision on if they can bring the child home, to a shelter, or let them stay where they were found. If your child is given a runaway citation, they may not have to go to court if you as the parents ask the court for a dismissal of charges. However, if the citation is not changed, the child and their parents must appear in court.
In any runaway situation, parents have the right to have all information flow through them and they also have the right to know exactly what transpired. Often times in runaway situations a family law attorney can really help establish rehabilitation.