Is Running Away from DCF Illegal

I have a friend who says that his girlfriend is a runaway from dcf. She is in foster care and doesn't want to contiune that life so she ranaway. She is not sure if it is illegal and she should just go back so there are no charges on her or if when she turns 18 she'll be a free adult as any other 18 y/o living with their parents. I feel for her greatly and would like to help her if i could. I told her to go back and just wade it out but she says it causes her so much grief. So if someone could, I would like to know if it is illegal to runaway from dcf in florida and if she will be free on her 18th birthday?

"Illegal" as in will she face criminal charges? No.

However, anyone that she is WITH could face criminal charges - because in all liklihood Florida has entered her into the system as a missing/endangered runaway - and harboring a runaway or interfering with a court order for custody or foster care can result in criminal prosecution. If she's discovered by law enforcement, and is still under the age of 18, she'll be returned to DCF who will in turn make their own decisions about where she goes next (whether back to foster care, or to some more "secure" option since she exhibits runaway risk). If discovered AFTER the age of 18, she'll be held briefly (for example, if during a traffic stop) while they establish her identity, that she's no longer a minor, and the agency that entered the missing/endangered entry will be notified that she's ok; at which point they'll remove the entry and she'll no longer be missing/endangered.

ok, so your saying that if she stays hiden until she is 18 and then she goes to the cops, persay, and turns herself in they wont do anything to her as long as she hasn't done anything that would put her in jail?