How can I help this young man?

[tim2218]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

I have befriended a young gay teen (age 15) through a support site and we have gotten pretty close. Through the course of our conversations he has told me he has been sexually abused not only by his father, but his stepfather as well. He is currently in the custody of the stepfather in KY. The mother took a "vacation" and came back saying she was leaving the stepfather and she left the kid with the step-dad and took off. The boy is trying to get back to CA, but knowing the situation and abuse will continue, he phones his father and said it had to stop. I think I should explain he is terrified of going to the authorities for fear of being placed in a foster home, which he feels would be worse than what he endures now. The dad is "punishing" him by making him stay with the stepfather until summer. The child was recently put into home schooling as the school was getting curious as to the bruises and other marks on this child. He is desperate to get away from this whole mess and has no other relatives he can turn to. He is on the verge of running away and I don't want to see him slip away and become another homeless child living on the streets. My partner and I have been together 23 years and would love to help this young man and get him into a loving, safe home, preferably with us. I think we'd be good role models and let him see what "normal" living is and let him just be a kid instead of constantly afraid. What are the consequences if say, he would run away and showed up on my doorstep? I don't want to get into any legal problems by helping him out but I also don't want to see all this sexual and physical abuse continue.. How can I help this boy..? Thank you

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

I have befriended a young gay teen (age 15) through a support site and we have gotten pretty close. Through the course of our conversations he has told me he has been sexually abused not only by his father, but his stepfather as well. He is currently in the custody of the stepfather in KY. The mother took a "vacation" and came back saying she was leaving the stepfather and she left the kid with the step-dad and took off. The boy is trying to get back to CA, but knowing the situation and abuse will continue, he phones his father and said it had to stop. I think I should explain he is terrified of going to the authorities for fear of being placed in a foster home, which he feels would be worse than what he endures now. The dad is "punishing" him by making him stay with the stepfather until summer. The child was recently put into home schooling as the school was getting curious as to the bruises and other marks on this child. He is desperate to get away from this whole mess and has no other relatives he can turn to. He is on the verge of running away and I don't want to see him slip away and become another homeless child living on the streets. My partner and I have been together 23 years and would love to help this young man and get him into a loving, safe home, preferably with us. I think we'd be good role models and let him see what "normal" living is and let him just be a kid instead of constantly afraid. What are the consequences if say, he would run away and showed up on my doorstep? I don't want to get into any legal problems by helping him out but I also don't want to see all this sexual and physical abuse continue.. How can I help this boy..? Thank you

If this young man is being abused then your only option is to inform the authorities. No matter how he protests, this is the only way to truly help him.

 

[ElvinMelvin]

What Antigone said.

Here's the law in Indian regarding the harboring of runaways:

(720 ILCS 5/10-6) (from Ch. 38, par. 10-6)

Sec. 10-6. Harboring a runaway.

(a) Any person, other than an agency or association providing crisis intervention services as defined in Section 3-5 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, or an operator of a youth emergency shelter as defined in Section 2.21 of the Child Care Act of 1969, who, without the knowledge and consent of the minor's parent or guardian, knowingly gives shelter to a minor, other than a mature minor who has been emancipated under the Emancipation of Minors Act, for more than 48 hours without the consent of the minor's parent or guardian, and without notifying the local law enforcement authorities of the minor's name and the fact that the minor is being provided shelter commits the offense of harboring a runaway.

(b) Any person who commits the offense of harboring a runaway is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

The penalty for a Class A misdemeanor is:

IC 35-50-3-2
Class A misdemeanor
Sec. 2. A person who commits a Class A misdemeanor shall be imprisoned for a fixed term of not more than one (1) year; in addition, he may be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.148, SEC.8. Amended by Acts 1977, P.L.340, SEC.124.

 

[Zigner]

Who cares about Indiana law...this is a FEDERAL matter. Transporting a minor across state lines and all that good stuff.

 

[CdwJava]

As someone who has investigated these sorts of claims, I caution you not to be so ready to believe what you are being told by this kid on the internet. He may not even be who he says. You know only what he tells you and this may not be true at all. He may be playing you.

There are many games that can be played, and many people with good intentions get sucked into crimes (as a perpetrator or victim) by similar tales of woe.

If there is any belief he is in danger, then you really need to relate what you believe to the authorities.