Boarding school runaway

ink wench · Mar 31, 2009

This is for a contemporary fantasy, but most of the rules that apply in our world would apply in my MC's. So here's what I'm wondering....

My MC gets some bad news late on a Friday afternoon, and takes off to get away from people. Her school is located just outside of Boston, so she hops on a train into the city. A hour or so later, she turns her cell phone off. By the time dinner comes around, people at the school are going to notice she's missing from the dining hall. Her friends are going to realize she's not around the campus. Plus, the staff knows how upset she was by the news (they're the ones who gave it to her), and they're going to worry. To make matters more complicated, my MC's parents will be arriving at the school the next morning.

Is there anything the school can do? I'm guessing it's too early to call the cops, even if she doesn't show up all night, but I'm not sure. If it makes a difference, my MC is seventeen when she runs but turns eighteen that night. Thanks.

RJK · Mar 31, 2009

You've certainly complicated matters by making her 18. As an adult, neither the school, nor her parents have any authority over her. If she left on her own willpower, there's nothing anyone can do.
If she were still a minor, the police could be called immediately (there is no mandatory waiting period, that is a myth) and she'd be considered a missing person (runaway).

ink wench · Mar 31, 2009

She'll still be 17 when she runs, and will remain so for a few hours more. So, hmm... because her birthday is so close, would the cops not bother doing anything? It's not a huge deal if they don't, but it would make the story more interesting. I can't change her birthday because it's crucial to the larger plot. Thanks.

jclarkdawe · Mar 31, 2009

Even at eighteen, the school would probably call the police as soon as they know she's gone missing, as well as her parents. This would be mainly to protect the school from any liability. Even a high school can notify police about missing students.

Here, however, you have a situation in which a student could very well be suicidal. You say she has received bad news, which she didn't take well. She then disappears. She's not answering her cell. Police would probably become concerned and start checking out the situation.

The MBTA (commuter rail around Boston) does not require name or ID for a ticket, but train conductors tend to remember people if this is off peak time (which it sounds like this is). AMTRAK goes from the North Station to Portland, ME and from the South Station to Providence, RI and Springfield, MA. AMTRAK does require an ID and your name is on the ticket.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

RJK · Mar 31, 2009

I overlooked the despondency issue, and agree with Jim. The police would put out a BOLO, but manpower requirements will control how much attention the girl will get. We'd get them all the time telling us the despondent person was heading for the falls (Niagara). Unfortunately, it was usually too late. We'd find their car and a note.
A few days later, their body would pop up near the Maid of the Mist dock, if they went over the Horseshoe falls. If they went over the American Falls, they'd get caught in the rocks and be pounded to jelly.

ink wench · Mar 31, 2009

Perfect! That's probably the best possible scenario.

Jim, I'm imagining her jumping on the Red Line. The whole story takes place in 12 hours and she doesn't leave the city. About the only thing that would make her potentially stand out is her school uniform. Sounds like I can go either way.

Thank you both! This is just a minor issue, but I'm looking for ways to plump my plot and up the tension.

jclarkdawe · Mar 31, 2009

Red Line is not a train, but a subway. Big difference.

So you're not having her much outside of Boston? If so, the police aren't going to be able to do much other than issue a BOLO and will call it quits at that point, other than doing a search of the school grounds and asking her friends where she might go. Just too many possibilities on where she could go.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

ink wench · Mar 31, 2009

I'm using train in a loose sense here, that's all. Meaning transportation other than bus, car, airplane.... I realize there's a difference.

She stays in Boston the entire time. If there's a BOLO out on her though, and a cop gets her name/ID (I haven't figured out why this would happen yet so I'm being vague), would it come up? I don't want/need anyone looking for her, more like wondering what would happen if she were found unwillingly.

jclarkdawe · Mar 31, 2009

ink wench said:
I'm using train in a loose sense here, that's all. Meaning transportation other than bus, car, airplane.... I realize there's a difference. Not everyone does. Does she have a monthly pass? If so, do you have to give ID to get one? If you do, does the computer track you when you go through the turnstile? I don't know the answer, but personally I'd think of her having to buy a one-ride Charlie pass.

By the way, all subway stations are covered by video. Depending upon the size of the station where she's likely to get on, the MBTA police would probably be able to spot her.

She stays in Boston the entire time. If there's a BOLO out on her though, and a cop gets her name/ID (I haven't figured out why this would happen yet so I'm being vague), would it come up? I don't want/need anyone looking for her, more like wondering what would happen if she were found unwillingly. If a police officer stops here for any reason and requests an ID, he'll run it through the computer and it will light up. He'll then place her in protective custody until people can figure out what the hell is going on. It's possible the officer could let her go after ascertaining that she's an adult and not at risk, but that's dangerous for the officer, because if she kills herself, he's going to have some explaining to do.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

RJK · Mar 31, 2009

I disagree with Jim on the police custody issue. The officer must have probable cause that the adult woman is a danger to herself or others before he can force her to come with him. The probability is highly likely that the officer would talk to her, get her assurance that, yes she feels bad about whatever it was, but she certainly isn't going to do anything to herself. At that point, the officer has no choice but to allow her to go on her way. He would ask her where she's going. She may volunteer the information, but she doesn't have to. If the officer tried to hold her against her will, he would be both criminally and civilly liable, and the burden of proof would fall on the officer, not the police department.

ink wench · Mar 31, 2009

jclarkdawe said:
Does she have a monthly pass? If so, do you have to give ID to get one? If you do, does the computer track you when you go through the turnstile? I don't know the answer, but personally I'd think of her having to buy a one-ride Charlie pass. I was going under the assumption that she'd have a student pass, so she would have needed to show ID for that. But I'm not sure if it could be tracked after purchase. Interesting. Not a biggie either way.

By the way, all subway stations are covered by video. Depending upon the size of the station where she's likely to get on, the MBTA police would probably be able to spot her. Ah, good point. I hadn't thought about that.

If a police officer stops here for any reason and requests an ID, he'll run it through the computer and it will light up. He'll then place her in protective custody until people can figure out what the hell is going on. It's possible the officer could let her go after ascertaining that she's an adult and not at risk, but that's dangerous for the officer, because if she kills herself, he's going to have some explaining to do. I see you and RJK disagree about that. By the time an officer approaches her, she would be 18.
Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

RJK said:
I disagree with Jim on the police custody issue. The officer must have probable cause that the adult woman is a danger to herself or others before he can force her to come with him. The probability is highly likely that the officer would talk to her, get her assurance that, yes she feels bad about whatever it was, but she certainly isn't going to do anything to herself. At that point, the officer has no choice but to allow her to go on her way. He would ask her where she's going. She may volunteer the information, but she doesn't have to. If the officer tried to hold her against her will, he would be both criminally and civilly liable, and the burden of proof would fall on the officer, not the police department.

Thanks. Also good to know.

I have an idea for how to approach this, I think, that will make how the officer handles it irrelevant. Still considering my options, but at this point I think the salient pieces are her knowing the police have been contacted and that if they pick her up, her name will be flagged.

Thank you both!

Boarding school runaway

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine