HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD
Harboring Runaway Child in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD” means
Texas Penal Code § 25.06 defines harboring a runaway child. A person commits the offense by knowingly harboring a child while being criminally negligent about whether the child is younger than 18 and has escaped from the custody of a peace officer, a probation officer, the juvenile justice authorities, or a juvenile detention facility, or is voluntarily absent from the child's home without the consent of a parent or guardian for a substantial length of time or without intent to return. The mental-state structure is distinctive: the harboring itself must be done knowingly, while criminal negligence suffices as to the child's age and runaway or escape status. The statute supplies defenses for certain close relatives and for persons who promptly notify law enforcement or the child's home of the child's presence. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
Bail for HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD in Texas
Across 858 Texas bail settings for this charge (5 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $4,000 (middle half: $2,500 – $10,000). 7% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 18 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (313 records), the median was $3,500 and 14% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexar | 61 | $5,000 | $2,500 – $10,000 | 2% | 5% |
| Tarrant | 48 | $2,500 | $1,425 – $5,000 | 0% | 2% |
| Hale | 42 | $2,500 | $2,500 – $2,500 | 0% | 0% |
| Lubbock | 32 | $2,500 | $1,502 – $4,000 | 0% | 0% |
| Webb | 31 | $10,000 | $4,000 – $15,000 | 3% | 0% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
How real HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD cases ended
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
Related charges
Charged with HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.