What can you do when your child asks you to “take in a friend” who has run away from home? You have to approach the situation carefully – with an eye toward the legal constraints involved. Your first instinct in this situation might actually be the worst instinct you could have.
It’s estimated that somewhere between 1.6 million and 2.8 million children and teens in the United States become runaways every year. Here’s what you need to know if you’re asked to provide shelter to a runaway:
You could be accused of endangering the welfare of a child
Under the law, parents and guardians have the authority over the children in their custody, and anybody who interferes with those rights can be charged with a crime – even if their heart was in the right place.
Delaware Code Title 11, § 1102 considers anybody who “knowingly encourages, aids, abets or conspires with the child to run away from the home of the child’s parents, guardian or custodian, or the person knowingly and illegally harbors a child who has run away from home” to be guilty of endangering the welfare of a child.
Even if the child comes to no harm in your care, you can be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, which can lead to significant fines, community service, probation or even up to a year in jail. (Your situation could also worsen significantly if the police come around to ask questions and you lie about having the child in your care since that can be considered a form of obstruction of justice and an entirely different crime.)
So, what do you do if your teen “brings home a friend” who doesn’t want to go back home? In essence, you really need to get the authorities involved. If you’re unsure what steps to take, seeking legal guidance can allow you to learn what you can do to protect the teen who has come to you for help without putting yourself in legal danger.
