Legal Question in Juvenile Dependency in Washington
Parental liability for a runaway juvenile
Our 16 year old daughter has become a chronic runaway. We always report her to the police as a runaway when she runs.
We now have a young man calling us saying that she stole his car and did some damage and wants us to pay for it. (He did not contact police or fill out any report.) We want to do the right thing but don't want to set ourselves up for more claims. (This guy is a friend of hers.) She admits doing some damage. She was a runaway (still is) at the time she did this.
What is our liability as parents of a minor child when she is a runaway?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Parental liability for a runaway juvenile
I believe you are not liable. RCW 4.24.190, which you can read at http://search.leg.wa.gov/wslrcw/RCW%20%20%204%20%20TITLE/RCW%20%20%204%20.%2024%20%20CHAPTER/RCW%20%20%204%20.%2024%20.190.htm, says a parent is liable for up to $5000 if the child is "living with the parent" and "willfully or maliciously" destroys or defaces property.
The policy behind the law is apparantly that parents should be able to control their children. Thus, her being a runaway and your having reported it, both show she was not living with you (and was not under your control).
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