Amber Alert for Teen Forced Into Van

I do not see that the family should be charged. I hope she had discussed alternatives with them beforehand, about why she did not want to go. Now, if she had been able to totally support herself if her family moved away, there is a procedure called emancipation, that would have allowed her to be declared her own legal guardian. If she did not want to go, and had no plans or concrete way of taking care of herself, of course she would have to go.We do not know why she was not wanting to go. It may have been her senior year or something. She may have had a boyfriend she did not want to leave. Still, at 17 she is a minor. I am glad people were aware enough to call 911, and I am glad she was actually with her family.

It did look like she was being taken against her will but no dont think family should be charged any thing the girl needs a spanking for throwing such a fit!

I do not believe either that the Parents should be charged, they could have done it a different way yes, but again they would not have thought at the time what problems it would cause, so they can not really be blamed for that either The Girl did not need to kick up such a Fuss to be honest, ok she did not want to move but to cause havoc like that, also I think if one of the Onlookers would have said something, they would have been informed that it is not an abduction but just a young Teenager being stubborn

Hey Cowgirl! That was quite a story! I guess she really didn't want to move to Ft. Lauderdale! I can't blame her! I don't want to move there either and my Mom has tried to make me move there too and she would have to take me kicking and screaming too!lol But, it was a 17 year old kid who just didn't want to move, can't blame here, but the people who didn't know what was going on did the absolute right thing! How was anyone that saw this scene supposed to know that this girl wasn't being kidnapped! Good for the people who did look out for her! If it were a kidnapping they would have saved her life!

This incident happened very close to where I live. I agree, I don't think the family did anything wrong. It was an unfortunate incident that was perceived wrongly by onlookers and authorities, but frankly, the family probably did the only thing they could when their teenage girl decides to throw a tantrum in a parking lot. Teenagers tend to get a little dramatic and this girl obviously got the attention she was probably trying to attract. I don't think charges should be filed. The girl is safe. Besides, what would have been the alternative? Let her go? Leave her in Virginia? The family was from Rhode Island on their way to Florida. Then they would have definitely been arrested for abandonment of a minor (and yes, she was still a kid and proved it by her not-so-adult actions).

I saw this on AOL earlier today. I watched the video and something just doesn't seem right. I am a seventeen year old girl and I would never act in such a way, but that might just be me. It seems to me that something a little more sinister was going on for people to be alarmed enough to call 911. I believe a little more investigation into the situation would not hurt anyone and could only bring positivity to the situation.

So if the story is accurate, no I don't believe that charges should be filed. Teenage girls can be very hormonal and everything at the time seems like life ending. To move at the age of 17, away from your home, friends, school can be very devastating. (I was forced to move from VA to CA when I turned 13, I can tell you when I got here I was horrible to my mother) I don't agree with what the girl did, but can say it doesn't surprise me either. Family counseling is what is needed, not a bill from law enforcement. As always just my 2 cents worth!!!

That incident is and will represent a need for law amendment in the state of Virginia. See all of use have rights and there are laws that written to enforce them. That family, over stepped their boundary with that teen ager. Surely the parent (s) did not know what to do when that teen opted to rebel against their decision to move. That comes to no surprise, specially if they did not know how to manage their teen ager. The fact is that in most states all have the right of emancipation. The concept does not only apply to freedom from slavery, but in this case from parental control. Please look at the legal reference at this link: http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/virginia/ The fact remains that her human right as a free human being were violated. In Virginia a teen has the right for emancipation by judicial petition at age 16 (§16.1-331 et seq.), more over they assaulted her, battered her and forced her into that van. That constitutes assault, battery, abduction and kidnapping, because she was forced. Now she may not be fighting it, because she was forced to resign her resistance. I think her parents had the right to enforce their parent authority, but it clearly looks like it was others then parents directly involved with the incident. Their actions activated public resources which were necessary for locating her and overseeing her safety, same which could have been used to locate a child in actual need for them. That was a waste of time and money, besides the fact that were applied to her condition findings, ultimately a false alarm. They mishandled their family issue and provoked a bigger incident then necessary, could have cause her to be insured in the process.

If she went by herself at night, she's a corpse . With mounting violence against young women today it is only imperative to call the authorities only that this time they did not realize just a family affair. yet another public disturbance made by women .