What Happens If A 17-Year-Old Leaves Home

icemann · #1 05-15-2006, 05:55 PM

ok, my girlfriend is 17 yrs old and will be 18 in october. i am 22. she currently resides in texas, but does not get along wiht her parents and wants to move out. i am in toronto. her family has had run ins with child services before for physical abuse, and at the last occasion it was made clear that if they were ever called again my gf would be put into foster care. yesterday her mother freaked out on her and was throwing knives and other objects at her, and so my gf called me and asked me to fly her here today. which i have done. her parents of course are not happy and will do whatever they can to cause me trouble. what can they do to try to get her back, and what can be done to try to prevent it? My parents used to be foster parents, so i know how the system works here for the most part. I am not sure but i heard that if the person is 17 yrs of age, and leaves, if the parents know where they are, and it is shown that they are being taken care of the police will not get involved. is this remotely true? i know that to be emancipated the individual needs to have a full time job, which is about the only stipulation that my gf does not have at the moment. i however do have a full time job and live independantly. would gettign engaged do anything to help? any answers would be greatly appreciated

aaron · #2 05-15-2006, 06:49 PM

Canadian law is a lot different than U.S. law when it comes to sixteen- or seventeen-year-olds who leave home to establish separate households. In the U.S., an unemancipated 17-year-old has no right to live independently, and the police / courts can make her return home.

icemann · #3 05-15-2006, 07:04 PM

i see. it would appear that that is most likely what is going to happen as the police have already detained a friend in this matter. i guess she won't be able to live here until she is 18. in this situation, would you recommend she attempt to be placed in a foster home, and then be deemed a ward of the state?

icemann · #4 05-15-2006, 07:28 PM

sorry to double post, but one more question. since it seems very likely that she will make it here to canada. what happens then? if it is decided in texas that she should be brought home, how does that occur? i feel rather stupid for not investigating this yesterday, would have saved me a few hundred bucks. but no matter, her well being is more important.

aaron · #5 05-16-2006, 05:38 AM

If she runs away to Canada, as she won't have lawful immigration status, she would presumably be subject to deportation.