My Son Keeps Running Away from Home
My question involves juvenile law in the State of: WA
My son keeps running away. It started out where he would just take off even though he was told not to, or that he was grounded but recently I started reporting him as a runaway. His problems started back about 3 years ago where he got busted with posession of marijuana in middle school. No sooner that I'm driving him all around to get this removed from his record, he gets busted again but this time with prescription meds he stole from my spouse. Only this time he was also under the influence. So now he has two felonies on his record.
We moved and months later I start noticing food missing from the fridge, when I confronted my son he explained that his friends needed the food so he gave it to them. After a long talk I explained to him we don't feed the neighbors. One day I noticed that I had about 20 pills of adderol missing from my bottle, and he denys taking them. Another day I realized that 3 of my SD cards are missing and my spouse is also missing one. I wouldn't mind so much but I had content on them that I can't replace as I'm a musician. He denys taking those as well. One day I came home and the charger to my phone was missing. When I asked my son he claims he took it but remembers giving me an identical charger for the same phone, which is true, but we still had a talk about why he is giving my stuff away without asking me first.
I had enough, and knew I had to do something. He has been sporting this Toshiba Thrive notebook for months now and claims that he is borrowing it from a friend. I went into his room and stole the charger to it, and told him he's not getting it back untill the SD cards are replaced. Two days later he sends the owner of the tablet to our door and I'm explaining to this girl that no one is getting the charger back until I get my stuff back. She says that I shouldn't take things out on my son just because I'm a bad paren't. I explained to her that she just made a poor decision and loant it to the wrong person, and I will sell it to replace what I have missing if I have to. I told her she is welcome to call the police but posession is 9/10ths of the law and I wished her the best of luck, and closed the door. Besides I wondered how much of my food and electronics made it into her house. This is probably why my sons friends think he is so cool, he brings them free food and electronics.
I grounded my son Friday because I was going to walk him to his bus stop because he has missed over 131 days, and is on the becca bill, and has been to court twice from it. All they have done so far is give him summer school and one day of community service. As far as I'm concearned a slap on the wrist. Friday morning he locked himself into the bathroom just minutes before his bus was due, knowing it would make him later. He has done this many times in the past. So I told him he is grounded today and drove him to school. He never came home that day until 10p but I had gone ahead and reported him as a runaway. He left yesterday as well even though I kept him grounded and I reported him a runaway again. Today he refused to do his chores, so I removed the door from his bedroom and this time as he was walking out reminded him that I would once again report him as a runaway and I would also remove the bed from his room. He had to ponder this for a minute and came back in for a few but left anyhow claiming he has to much to do today and its ok, go ahead and take his bed.
Re: My Son Keeps Running Away from Home
Do you have a legal question?
Re: My Son Keeps Running Away from Home
How old is your son?
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He has been sporting this Toshiba Thrive notebook for months now and claims that he is borrowing it from a friend.
That's when you take the notebook to police, tell them you're not sure if it's stolen or not, and turn it over to them so THEY can find the lawful owner and properly return it. Your son is a liar and a thief, why on earth would you presume he'd be telling you the truth?
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I'm explaining to this girl that no one is getting the charger back until I get my stuff back. She says that I shouldn't take things out on my son just because I'm a bad paren't. I explained to her that she just made a poor decision and loant it to the wrong person, and I will sell it to replace what I have missing if I have to.
Better slow down there mom, unless you want a criminal history matching that of your child. You know darn well that this laptop isn't yours, so you have ZERO right to sell something which is either (a) stolen, opening YOU to a criminal charge of dealing in stolen property or (b) borrowed. Talk to the girl's parents - if they convice you the laptop is hers, return it, since you have NO right to it. If you can't establish ownership, you take it away from your son and let police deal with it. Don't let your frustration with your son make you steal from Peter to pay Paul.
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I told her she is welcome to call the police but posession is 9/10ths of the law and I wished her the best of luck, and closed the door.
Unless you've got a receipt for that laptop, you need to remember that handcuffs are 9/10th of an arrest too.
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Besides I wondered how much of my food and electronics made it into her house.
Dunno. But that's not relevant to you refusing to return property that isn't yours. If you want to bring theft charges against your son for what has disappeared from your home, then by all means do so. But HE is the responsible party here, and any consequences are HIS.
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This is probably why my sons friends think he is so cool, he brings them free food and electronics.
Then lock up your valuables, or press criminal charges against your son, or both. His behaviors are on HIM.
Re: My Son Keeps Running Away from Home
So you have a son you know steals drugs, yet you keep the drugs where he can get them. Your solution to him stealing is to steal someone elses property. I suspect part of his problem is he has no respect for the role models in his life.