There is one situation when I say a citizen should mind their own business and not take action. That is addressed to the parents of teens who buy the fabricated stories of a child’s friend about being abused at home and needing to be protected from those abusive parents.
When your child swallows the story of a friend who has “Horrible” parents feels they need to protect their friend and sneaks them into the house to stay for a few days to let things at home settle down. Some parents will buy the story and allow the “Runaway” to stay.
Notice I said “Runaway” when describing the child. Any juvenile (A person under age 18) who disobeys their parents rules is an “Unruly child” and can be charged in Juvenile Court with being unruly. So when a parent allows a child to disobey their parents, that person can be charged with “Contributing to the unruliness of a child.”
Should the parent report their child as being a runaway to the police or sheriff, an investigation is started. The child is the subject of a BOLO to watch for a missing juvenile which goes to the county of residence and any adjacent county. The child is also entered into the Law Enforcement Data System (LEADS) database as a missing/runaway child.
During the investigation, the police will contact friends and family of the missing child. Should a person allow, assist or harbor that child, a charge of “Interference with custody” may be filed against any person who does not come forward and turn the runaway child over to the parents or police. A deputy was just telling me about a woman who was harboring a runaway and lying to his face about it.
Having worked many of these cases, it is quite frustrating to know an adult is standing there giving you a bald faced lie to protect this poor abused child. Well let me say this, it is not your job to protect that child. You are not a law enforcement officer. You are not a case worker for Children’s Services. You are not the kid’s probation officer. Yes this is probably not the first time the child has fooled a gullible person and has been put on probation already.
So what can you do for this child? Tell your child “No!” Teach your child the police and Children Services workers are trained and know what to do with this child and their parents. If the parents are abusive, the police will deal with charging the abuser. If the child is in danger the Children’s Services Worker will know where the child can go legally and be safe.
This is a situation where I say a parent has to be a parent, not a friend to their child and friends. The parent has to set the right example and do the proper thing. Send the kid home or call the police if you feel there is merit to the story. Chances are the child’s parent took their fancy cell phone away for some discipline and now is an abusive parent. After all how can a loving parent allow their teen to not snap chat with their friends?
Here is what the Ohio Revised Code say’s about interference with custody:
2919.23 Interference with custody.(A) No person, knowing the person is without privilege to do so or being reckless in that regard, shall entice, take, keep, or harbor a person identified in division (A)(1), (2), or (3) of this section from the parent, guardian, or custodian of the person identified in division (A)(1), (2), or (3) of this section:(1) A child under the age of eighteen, or a mentally or physically handicapped child under the age of twenty-one;(2) A person committed by law to an institution for delinquent, unruly, neglected, abused, or dependent children;(3) A person committed by law to an institution for the mentally ill or mentally retarded.(B) No person shall aid, abet, induce, cause, or encourage a child or a ward of the juvenile court who has been committed to the custody of any person, department, or public or private institution to leave the custody of that person, department, or institution without legal consent.(C) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of enticing or taking under division (A)(1) of this section, that the actor reasonably believed that the actor’s conduct was necessary to preserve the child’s health or safety. It is an affirmative defense to a charge of keeping or harboring under division (A) of this section, that the actor in good faith gave notice to law enforcement or judicial authorities within a reasonable time after the child or committed person came under the actor’s shelter, protection, or influence.(D) (1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of interference with custody.(2) Except as otherwise provided in this division, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the child who is the subject of a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is removed from the state or if the offender previously has been convicted of an offense under this section, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a felony of the fifth degree. If the child who is the subject of a violation of division (A)(1) of this section suffers physical harm as a result of the violation, a violation of division (A)(1) of this section is a felony of the fourth degree.(3) A violation of division (A)(2) or (3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree.(4) A violation of division (B) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each day of violation of division (B) of this section is a separate offense.Effective Date: 07-01-1996
