[Raditude]

Indiana USA 16yr in Girls School - What are her rights?

I'm a 20 year old male, and I have a friend who is 1y years old and will be 17 at the end of December. She is currently in a Girl's School.

When I met her, 7 years ago, she was living with her father and step mother. Her biological mother had no parenting rights as far as I know. Everything seemed to be going well.

When she was 14, somehow, her mother either gained parental rights, or her father let her visit for a few weeks. While she was visiting her mother, her uncle raped her. (He has since been incarcerated)

When she came back, she had changed. She was suicidal and always frustrated and fighting with people. Her father and/or step mother were abusive to her as well. She told the police and showed them the marks, but they didn't believe her and ruled it "self-inflicted."

Since the police wouldn't help, she decided to run away. She was unsuccessful, and after about the 3rd attempt, she was sent to a Girl's School for Habitually running away.

I have been informed that she will be there until she is 21. Is there anything I can do, or any way I can get her out of there? What are her rights? What are my rights as a friend? Do I have the right to visitation? If not will I have the right when she turns 18?

[Mr. Knowitall]

By "girl's school" you seem to mean a reformatory-type school. So what's behind the part you left out, where she was adjudicated delinquent?

[Raditude]

I forgot to mention she was in foster care as well, and they weren't the nicest people. That's the whole story as far as I know. Maybe I don't know the whole story. I haven't been able to talk to her, and all I hear is from her step mom and some friends. As far as I know running away is the reason she is a delinquent and sent to the Girl's Reformatory School. I don't know much else.

[Mr. Knowitall]

She could be sent to a girl's reformatory for being a habitual runaway - but they wouldn't hold her past the age of 18.

[jk]

I have been informed that she will be there until she is 21.

Unless she is in for something greater than running away, chances are she's out at 18. That is the age of majority in Indiana and unless she has commited some other crime that she is incarcerated for, they won;t hold her past that.

Is there anything I can do, or any way I can get her out of there?

No.

What are her rights?

to do what she is told

What are my rights as a friend

absolutley none

Do I have the right to visitation?

nope

If not will I have the right when she turns 18?

depends where she is at at that point. If she is still incarcerated, it's up to the folks that run the jail becaise if she is going to be continued, she will be going to a jail instead of a home for minors.

You obviously do not have very many facts. You need to know a lot more before you can get any real answers.

[Raditude]

There are laws that prohibit disclosing info about minors, and I can't go to the parents. Is there any way I can get information?

Is there any way I can push for her emancipation?

[jk]

There are laws that prohibit disclosing info about minors, and I can't go to the parents. Is there any way I can get information?

Is there any way I can push for her emancipation?

No and no.

Aside from the fact I don't believe Indiana has an emancipation law, the girl being incarcerated would eleiminate any possibility of emancipation anyway. Part of emancipation is proving ones ability to support themselves along with shouwing the maturity to deal with the general public. Apprently she would lose on both of these points.

You are fighting a lost cause and don't even know if it is the right fight. You don't know why she is incarcerated yet you are compelled to get her freed.

You have absolutley no rights in this matter at all.

If you believe she has been wronged, hire an attorney to look into it and if they can find something, they may be able to apply to the court as representative of the girl and then they would have rights.

Other than that, you're out in the cold.