13-Year-Old Girl Refuses to Return Home After Running Away, Seeks Shelter in Child Welfare Institution

Thiruvananthapuram: A 13-year-old girl from Assam, who ran away from home after taking ₹150 from her mother's bag, has refused to return to her family despite their emotional pleas. The girl, who was found in Visakhapatnam after traveling across three states, was brought back to Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday night. She was presented before the Poojappura Child Welfare Committee (CWC) yesterday, where she expressed her unwillingness to return home.

The girl’s father, mother, and two sisters met her during the session, but she remained firm in her decision to stay away from home. The CWC has decided to provide the girl with counseling and house her in a child welfare institution for the next 10 days. Counseling will also be provided to her parents, and a final decision on her return will be made based on her progress.

The CWC District Chairperson, Shaniba Beegam, mentioned that if the girl’s stance does not change, further action will be taken in consultation with the government. While the father is distressed over his daughter's decision, the mother has expressed no objection to her staying under CWC’s care. Although the CWC offered to shelter all three children, the father declined the offer, stating his preference for his other daughters to stay with him.

The girl ran away from home last Tuesday after being upset over her mother’s disciplinary actions. She traveled 1,650 kilometers over 37 hours, crossing three states, before being found by a group of Malayali passengers in Visakhapatnam. The family had recently moved from Assam to Kerala to join the father, who has been working in agriculture in Kazhakoottam for the past year.

The girl revealed that she left home due to the frequent scolding and punishment she received from her mother, which had been troubling her. Despite not knowing the locations she traveled to, she stated that she did not feel scared during her journey. The girl expressed a desire to stay in Kerala and continue her education but remains unwilling to return home at this time.

The CWC will continue to monitor the situation and provide necessary support to both the girl and her family in hopes of finding a resolution.