Many teenagers often feel that they no longer can live at home and make the decision to run away. While this may seem like a good idea to teens at the time, many do not realize that running away is considered a crime in most states. More than 1 million teenagers run away from home each year, making them liable to face criminal law charges.
What to Do If Your Child or Loved One Runs Away
- Call 911 as soon as you realize your child has left home.
- Be sure to file an official missing person report and take the name, badge number and contact information of the officer with whom you file.
- Call around and/or visit with your child’s friends, coworkers, relatives, teachers or anyone else you know who may have information about where your child has gone.
- Contact law enforcement agencies in nearby towns and cities to alert them of your runaway child.
- Call local hospitals, clinics and drug treatment facilities in your area to check for your child.
- Contact local news agencies and television and radio stations to put out a description of your child and contact information.
- If your child has a cell phone enabled with GPS technology, contact the service provider to try to track it down.
- Look for clues on your child’s Facebook page, computer your kid may use to play video games with a mechanical keyboard cheap or online games as CSGO with the use of csgo boost online, look also for unfamiliar phone numbers on your phone bills, strange charges on your credit card, large amounts of money withdrawn from a bank account, etc.
Not only may your teen be in trouble with the law when running away, but also those who help a runaway can be at risk for legal action as well. Adults (older than 18) who shelter a runaway without the permission or consent of the teen’s parents or guardian, can be charged criminally with kidnapping, child custody interference or harboring a runaway.
Usually if the teen has not committed a crime during the time away from home, no criminal law action will be taken. However, if a teen runs away repeatedly or commits an illegal act, the juvenile justice system may become involved. A judge may recommend anything from counseling to time in a juvenile detention facility as punishment for running away.
Some of the most common reasons teens give for running away include fighting with family, abuse and/or neglect in the home, unexpected pregnancy, gang activity or pressure, drug or alcohol use, and relationship problems with a boyfriend or girlfriend. No matter the reason is for running away, the consequences can land your teen in trouble with the law.
Contacting a South Florida Criminal Defense Attorney
Your child or loved one may face criminal law charges for running away from home. To avoid a criminal background for your child, you need to hire the best defense team to take on your runaway case. A competent criminal law team can get you and your teen the help you need. Contact the criminal defense attorney team at Falk & Ross to discuss your case – 1-877-663-5110.