Can I move out at 17?

[Angel73114]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.
Hello, I am 16 and will be turning 17 in August of this year. I spent the first 13 years of my life living with a woman named Cheryl, the woman i consider to be my mom, because my biological mother was put in jail for prostitution. Cheryl did have a legal adoption of me. I had no contact with my biological mother from the ages of 4-14. When Cheryl died I moved in with the woman I consider to be my aunt, Heather her husband and 3 kids, my cousins. I was very happy and miss them all terribly. In October of 2012 my biological mother contacted me and took me away, we (me and my aunt) were unsure if we could get in legal trouble so i went with my biological mother. She is bipolar and schizophrenic but, she sells her medicines to strangers who come by the house. Her husband smokes weed frequently and I do not want to be here anymore. When I turn 17, can i legally move out and stay with my aunt and family? Would the police make me return? Or would my aunt get in trouble? Mind you, I have known my aunt and cousins our entire lives. They are the only family I truly feel like I have. Please help. I would continue school and graduate that following year, I then plan on attending college in San Antonio and I do live in Texas, if that changes anything. Please help, I am in desperate need of getting out of here.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.
Hello, I am 16 and will be turning 17 in August of this year. I spent the first 13 years of my life living with a woman named Cheryl, the woman i consider to be my mom, because my biological mother was put in jail for prostitution.Cheryl did have a legal adoption of me. I had no contact with my biological mother from the ages of 4-14. When Cheryl died I moved in with the woman I consider to be my aunt, Heather her husband and 3 kids, my cousins. I was very happy and miss them all terribly. In October of 2012 my biological mother contacted me and took me away, we (me and my aunt) were unsure if we could get in legal trouble so i went with my biological mother. She is bipolar and schizophrenic but, she sells her medicines to strangers who come by the house. Her husband smokes weed frequently and I do not want to be here anymore. When I turn 17, can i legally move out and stay with my aunt and family? Would the police make me return? Or would my aunt get in trouble? Mind you, I have known my aunt and cousins our entire lives. They are the only family I truly feel like I have. Please help. I would continue school and graduate that following year, I then plan on attending college in San Antonio and I do live in Texas, if that changes anything. Please help, I am in desperate need of getting out of here.

Where is your father?

As you were adopted by Cheryl...You are living with a stranger.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.
Hello, I am 16 and will be turning 17 in August of this year. I spent the first 13 years of my life living with a woman named Cheryl, the woman i consider to be my mom, because my biological mother was put in jail for prostitution. Cheryl did have a legal adoption of me. I had no contact with my biological mother from the ages of 4-14. When Cheryl died I moved in with the woman I consider to be my aunt, Heather her husband and 3 kids, my cousins. I was very happy and miss them all terribly. In October of 2012 my biological mother contacted me and took me away, we (me and my aunt) were unsure if we could get in legal trouble so i went with my biological mother. She is bipolar and schizophrenic but, she sells her medicines to strangers who come by the house. Her husband smokes weed frequently and I do not want to be here anymore. When I turn 17, can i legally move out and stay with my aunt and family? Would the police make me return? Or would my aunt get in trouble? Mind you, I have known my aunt and cousins our entire lives. They are the only family I truly feel like I have. Please help. I would continue school and graduate that following year, I then plan on attending college in San Antonio and I do live in Texas, if that changes anything. Please help, I am in desperate need of getting out of here.

If Cheryl legally adopted you then your biological mother has basically kidnapped you, because she has absolutely zero legal rights to you. She is legally a stranger to you. An adoption is permanent, even if the adoptive parent passes away. The biological family never has any rights to a child that has been adopted.

Someone needs to confirm whether or not you were legally adopted, because if you were, again, its basically a kidnapping. If you were NOT legally adopted, then its another story.

 

[cbg]

The age at which you can move out and live wherever you want to with NO chance of being forced to return home is 18. Not 17, 18.

 

[LdiJ]

The age at which you can move out and live wherever you want to with NO chance of being forced to return home is 18. Not 17, 18.

While I agree that is true, that may not be what we are talking about here.

 

[cbg]

She asked if she could move out at 17. How is my response not answering that?

 

[Zigner]

She asked if she could move out at 17. How is my response not answering that?

Because the OP may be living with a legal stranger with no rights what-so-ever.

 

[cbg]

That doesn't really change anything I said, if you think about it.

 

[Zigner]

That doesn't really change anything I said, if you think about it.

What you said is correct except that the person the OP is living with may have no legal way to stop the OP from moving. Of course, the OP may end up in care of the state...or may not.

 

[cbg]

Dingdingdingdingding - we have a winner!

 

[Angel73114]

I have never known my biological father and the man who raised me, Cheryls husband, passed away in '07. Cheryl did have legal custody of me but after she passed they didn't know where I should go. Because if I stayed with my aunt after my biological mother took me I would've became a foster and I do not want to be a part of the 'system'. So if I move in with my aunt at 17, would she get in trouble? I do not want her or her family to get sued or in jail or anything because of me...

 

[Angel73114]

Come to find Cheryl did have legal custody but not a full adoption :/ does this change it?? Or would I still be able to leave without getting myself/others in trouble

 

[Zigner]

Come to find Cheryl did have legal custody but not a full adoption :/ does this change it?? Or would I still be able to leave without getting myself/others in trouble

Your mother is likely the one with parental rights.

 

[LdiJ]

Your mother is likely the one with parental rights.

I agree. If there was never an adoption then your mother would have parental rights, unless hers were terminated as part of a dependency case (CPS or DCFS involvement).

 

[Angel73114]

So if I move out, either I or my aunt could get it trouble?