Q: If it was discovered that a 17 year old had been living alone for the past 12 years what would normally happen?
A: Unfortunately, you have not provided near enough information or context for us to provide a specific response. Generally, a child is a child until the age of 18. Until the child reached the age of eighteen OR is otherwise emancipated, he or she should be living with the parents or another person who has been approved by the court and has a court order to that effect.
A: I agree with my colleague. This is a difficult question to answer. How would it even be possible for a young child, such as 5 or 6 to be living alone? Who was paying the rent, buying groceries, keeping the electricity on? We’d need to know more about the facts surrounding this case in order to provide you with guidance.
Michael D. Birchmore agrees with this answer
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