Q: If a 16 year old non-delinquent niece runs away from her home state and requests my assistance once in California...
What actions can I take to help keep her safe with me and away from street predators? Can I pick her up and bring her to my home if she calls me from another city? Am I obligated to call her parents and report her whereabouts? If so, must I immediately or can there be a reasonable cooling-off period? I'm trying to convince her to find a way to make it work out at home (or at least try for legal emancipation) but her parents have her on absolute lock-down, isolated from the rest of the world, no phone calls or internet, at a private school with no computers or even library. This is for homophobic religious reasons, I believe, as my niece seems LGBTQ. My niece is only able to contact me through a device provided secretly from a friend which she keeps hidden.
A: You might be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If she's being abused, you can call CPS and the police to report it. More details are necessary to provide a professional analysis of your issue. The best first step is an Initial Consultation with an Attorney. You can read more about me, my credentials, awards, honors, testimonials, and media appearances/ publications on my law practice website, www.AEesq.com. I practice law in CA, NY, MA, and DC in the following areas of law: Business & Contracts, Criminal Defense, Divorce & Child Custody, and Education Law. This answer does not constitute legal advice; make any predictions, guarantees, or warranties; or create any Attorney-Client relationship.
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