Legal Question in Juvenile Dependency in New York

juvenile dependency

I have an 11 yr old nephew who keeps running away after school and recently stayed out a whole weekend at another 11yr olds house without parental consent. Can his mother (a widow) have the police bring charges against the other child's family or a get a restraining order so as to keep the two ( both have been suspended a few times) apart. The other family wants to file harassment charges against my sister(the widow) for coming around to their house while attempting to find my nephew and bring him home. Can my sister legally lockout my nephew from the house to teach him a lesson? She is at wit's end and he is being stubborn and disrespectful to her. What are her legal responsibilities if she can't get him to obey her? I want to start a PINS petition but she is trying to keep the courts out of this. If he gets into ''trouble'' can she be charged with neglect for not reporting him ''missing'' if she looks but can't find him and just waits at home for him to call or walk home no matter how late it is? Thank you for you counsel.

P.S.He is not on drugs as far as I can tell, he just wants to ''socialize'' with his friends...He is a Boy Scout too...He is in 6th grade Is he considered incorrigible? He just walks out of the house ...


Asked on 2/09/08, 12:33 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony Colleluori The Law Offices of Anthony J. Colleluori & Associates PLLC

Re: juvenile dependency

Sounds like the kid has real issues and they are likely attibutable to his father's death. He is testing his mother because he has it in his head that he is the head of the house now.

Your sister is wrong to keep the courts out of this. It is one of the few times it can actually help. She should seek counsel's help too. Depending on the opportunities a boarding school may be appropriate right now. It depends on the situations.

If she wants to speak to me, she may contact me through the links below. I have handled a number of cases like this one.

Good Luck

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Answered on 2/10/08, 9:56 pm


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