Can an Adult Be Charged With Helping a Minor Run Away After the Minor Turns 18

I am currently a runaway from a verbally and emotionally abusive family. I was unable to find legal help from anyone, because i wasn't "really" being abused, and so i ran away from home about a month ago. I am in some contact with my parents, but they do not know my whereabouts. I am currently living out of state with my boyfriend, who is an adult but did not bring me across state lines, I traveled of my own volition. Is he considered a kidnapper? Also, i turn 18 in a few months. If i come out about our relationship after my 18th birthday, is it still possible for my parents to pursue charges against him for the time I was with him? Also, are there any federal charges possible for myself?

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Quoting BreeFearless

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I am currently a runaway from a verbally and emotionally abusive family. I was unable to find legal help from anyone, because i wasn't "really" being abused, and so i ran away from home about a month ago. I am in some contact with my parents, but they do not know my whereabouts. I am currently living out of state with my boyfriend, who is an adult but did not bring me across state lines, I traveled of my own volition. Is he considered a kidnapper? Also, i turn 18 in a few months. If i come out about our relationship after my 18th birthday, is it still possible for my parents to pursue charges against him for the time I was with him? Also, are there any federal charges possible for myself?

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Your boyfriend could end up in a very serious world of hurt here...You neglected to answer the question about what state is involved, but he can really get in very serious trouble. You REALLY need to return home and stick it out until you actually turn 18. If you really love your boyfriend that is exactly what you should do.

I left from Michigan and am now living in New York. A "serious world of hurt" doesn't really tell me anything. I intended to get some real, concrete answers from this site. Also, how can my parents pursue the case after I turn 18? What are the actual laws that are involved here? Anyone that has some usable information?

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Quoting BreeFearless

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I left from Michigan and am now living in New York. A "serious world of hurt" doesn't really tell me anything. I intended to get some real, concrete answers from this site. Also, how can my parents pursue the case after I turn 18? What are the actual laws that are involved here? Anyone that has some usable information?

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Your boyfriend can go to jail for this. He is withholding a minor from her legal guardians...across state lines no less. It doesn't matter that he didn't have officially help you to do so. You are being extremely selfish here because you are obviously putting your own wants above the best interest of your boyfriend. That is not an adult thing to do at all...that is a selfish and childish thing to do.

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Quoting BreeFearless

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I left from Michigan and am now living in New York. A "serious world of hurt" doesn't really tell me anything. I intended to get some real, concrete answers from this site. Also, how can my parents pursue the case after I turn 18? What are the actual laws that are involved here? Anyone that has some usable information?

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Let's try this another way.

If you commit a crime at aged 17, the State doesn't have to give up on prosecuting you just because you turn 18.

Seriously - listen to LLWorking. And you can leave the 'tude elsewhere, too.

Alright, I thought this was a site for legal advice, not opinionated, condescending jerks. I guess I will look elsewhere, since nobody is answering my question. I don't want to know what you think I should do, I want to know what the possible consequences are for everyone involved and under which specific law or laws my parents could pursue charges.

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Also, how can my parents pursue the case after I turn 18?

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The crime occurred before you turned 18, that's how.

Your boyfriend can be charged with harboring a runaway, custodial interference, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and, if it even remotely smells like he might have invited you to come stay with him, transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes. That, darling dear, makes his crime FEDERAL, and you go to PRISON for that.

Go. Home.

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Quoting BreeFearless

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Alright, I thought this was a site for legal advice, not opinionated, condescending jerks. I guess I will look elsewhere, since nobody is answering my question. I don't want to know what you think I should do, I want to know what the possible consequences are for everyone involved and under which specific law or laws my parents could pursue charges.

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Yeap. We're the jerks who won't be spending even a second in custody because we're not the idiot who is harboring a runaway.

And frankly my dear, the attitude you've shown here tells us that you're nowhere near mature enough to be out on your own.

Thank you! If I go home now, however, will that even help the situation at all? Can't they still charge him with all of the things you mentioned? Also, does my voice mean nothing in court if I deny being influenced by him in my decision to leave home? And would the way that I was treated back home have any relevance in such a case?

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Thanks so much for your very helpful advice. -.- If you have a way for me to remedy the situation, I would love to hear it. Because my returning to an abusive home will not make my boyfriend innocent of any of the crimes you all agreed that he committed, will it?

Please define the abuse. Then please tell us what you've done to report the abuse.

Your remedy is to either go back home and suck it up (assuming there's no actual abuse), or report the abuse.