My child has run away and now is asking for child support

Michigan Resident: My 17 year old male son has run away from home twice. Both times we have involved the state police. The state police state they can keep bringing him back, but he is considered and adult. The police told me there is no law to make him stay. We were told to imancipate our son, but when I called to do so the court stated my son can only intitate imancipation.The last time he ran away we let him go. He is now staying with his grandmother and she has placed him on her welfare case. She is getting foodstamps and MI MiChild for his medical. Now that the state is paying for food and medical they are coming after me for child support. My son can come home and be supported, but he will not stay home. This is not fair and every spoiled child has a parent corned. Almost as if do as I say or I will run away and you will pay me. What can I do?

NOTE: I am consulting a local attorney, therefore this is not the answer I am looking for. I am looking for someone with insite to cite law for the state of Michigan that may help me.

You are paying the person supporting him for caring for your child ( and welfare for supporting the person supporting your child);  he is not an adult at 17.  I don't think you will find any case law in your favor.

This is a sad situation. I will now legally pay for his drugs :( He is hiding behind a disabled grandmother suffering demensia after brain surgery. He will runs wild with her cash assistance checks. I guess this is a great loop hole for spoiled teens.

I think you'll find that paying child support till he's 18 is going to be a lot cheaper than paying lawyer support.

I suggest you study up on the CS requirements at the MI DHS website.

You might find a few things in there that might help you. Top of the page, see Overview and read the topics.

http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5453_5528---,00.html

Thank you 

What you can do is continue to have police bring the child home. Once you stop exercising that parental authority and allow some other person or the taxpayers to support your child, you open the door for that someone else or the taxpayers to seek reimbursement from you. You're the one legally responsible for providing for them, regardless of where they're actually residing. If you don't want him staying at grandma's, have grandma send him home. If she won't, or he won't come willingly, ask police to go GET him. Anyone enticing or allowing your child to stay with them against your wishes can also face criminal charges for interference with custody, or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, if you choose to go that route. Until he's 18, you can expect to be paying SOMEONE for his support, unless he's under your roof. So you can either pay for him, or chase him to keep him home.

The State Police backed after the second occasion. Stating his 17 years old stating they cannot legally make him stay. Almost to tell me I am wasting their time by calling. But thank you for your input it makes sense. 

If you have reason to suspect that this relative is not legally competent, then you should involve elder social services (or you can seek to get conservatorship over her and her affairs, though that's another can of worms). 

"I am consulting a local attorney, therefore this is not the answer I am looking for. I am looking for someone with insite to cite law for the state of Michigan that may help me."

Sorry, but this doesn't make any sense at all.  :)

Meaning I didn't want to hear "go see an attorney" as an answer from a consumer. I am trying to gather advice from a lawyer on this board as additional insight to the laws in Michigan. If any were to be in my favor. Its exhausting full-time job for the police and I too keep him home but it looks to be this is what needs to be done.

Unfortunately, it really is what needs to be done. The law gives you as the parent both legal responsibilities for support, and legal rights regarding where the child resides. You are the ultimate authority until he's 18. If you say "no" to him living anywhere else, then it's "no". Part of saying "no" is to not allow him to live elsewhere, and either involving law enforcement to force his return, or bringing legal consequences against whomever is aiding and abeiting his defiance of your authority. Half the battle is keeping him home, and the other half is shutting down his access to those who enable him to leave by providing food, shelter, and the things that are already in place for him with you.

Thank you...

There are no Michigan lawyers here and the rules of the site prevent legal advice.  If you want that, the only way is to consult a local attorney. Sorry.

You have been given accurate guidance though.

If your son is only 17 and has a drug problem you should be seeking a residential drug rehab facility for him.  As far as support goes, if Grandma is getting support and she has stated she is taking care of your son then of course the state will go after you for reimbursment.  That doesn't mean she'll recieve a big fat support check.  She'll probably get very little. And if your mother has dimentia then someone needs to see a lawyer to protect her. These are pretty easy solutions.

You keep saying your son is spoiled.  He didn't get that way all on his own so maybe it's time you took a look at how he got to be the kid he is now.  Kids only run over their parents when they know they can get away with it.

Update...I found out that NO you do not have to pay for your runaway child. I won my case due to this prior case http://www.leagle.com/...

Maybe this will help someone in Michigan that has a spoiled child like mine. He had no just cause to leave home.

Thank you for the help :)