Help... My 17yr old has runaway with her BF because I told her no. she will not answer me at all

[Help17yroldrunaway]

Jurisdiction

Missouri

My 17yr old daughter ran away from home with her boyfriend all because i told her NO. it has been almost 4 weeks of being worried sick she won't answer my calls my txt nothing. I don't know where she is staying but i know she is with that boy... I have asked the "police" in this town they actually just laughed and said there was nothing I could do but after doing some research i feel there is something i can do... at 17 i still have custody and rights.. right? all i want is to bring my daughter home where i know she is safe and taken care of Id love some advice as to what direction i should go and how i should pursue this matter!

 

[adjusterjack]

. at 17 i still have custody and rights.. right?

Sure, but as a practical matter, unless you want to go to court and get the court to order the police to find her and drag her home, there probably isn't anything you can do about it except hope that she doesn't permanently screw up her life.

Missouri statute 211.021:
(1) "Adult" means a person seventeen years of age or older except for seventeen-year-old children as defined in this section;
(2) "Child" means any person under seventeen years of age and shall mean, in addition, any person over seventeen but not yet eighteen years of age alleged to have committed a status offense;

2015 Missouri Revised Statutes :: TITLE XII PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (188-215) :: Chapter 211 Juvenile Courts :: Section 211.021 Definitions.

"Status offense" is addressed in 211.031 and describes the circumstances under which the juvenile court will have jurisdiction over a 17 year old:

2015 Missouri Revised Statutes :: TITLE XII PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (188-215) :: Chapter 211 Juvenile Courts :: Section 211.031 Juvenile court to have exclusive jurisdiction, when--exceptions--home schooling, attendance violations, how treated.

You have the option of getting the juvenile court involved if her behavior and/or living arrangements fit the exceptions.

When is her 18th birthday?