1. As used in this section and section 710.9 unless the context otherwise requires:
a. “Criminal act” means the violation of any federal or state law.
b. “Harbor” means to provide aid, support, or shelter.
c. “Runaway child” means a person under eighteen years of age who is voluntarily absent from the person’s home without the consent of the person’s parent, guardian, or custodian.
2. A person shall not harbor a runaway child with the intent of committing a criminal act involving the child or with the intent of enticing or forcing the runaway child to commit a criminal act.
3. A person shall not harbor a runaway child with the intent of allowing the runaway child to remain away from home against the wishes of the child’s parent, guardian, or\n\nTue Dec 09 21:56:30 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 710 (22, 0) 3 KIDNAPPING AND RELATED OFFENSES, §710.11\n\ncustodian. However, the provisions of this subsection do not apply to a shelter care home which is licensed or approved by the department of health and human services.
4. A person convicted of a violation of this section is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. 85 Acts, ch 183, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1219, §75; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1303 Referred to in §710.9 \n
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
11
cases (
3 in the last 5 years), 2005–2025 · leading case:
Wolf v. Wolf, 690 N.W.2d 887 (Iowa 2005).
Wolf v. Wolf, 690 N.W.2d 887 (Iowa 2005).
· cites it 4× “9 provides: A parent, guardian, or custodian of a runaway child has a right of action against a person who harbored the runaway child in violation of section 710.8 for expenses sustained in the search for the child, for damages sustained due to physical or emotional distress due…”
United States v. Mathis, 911 F.3d 903 (8th Cir. 2018).
“" Iowa Code § 710.8 (2), (3). Iowa law defines a "[r]unaway child" as "a person under eighteen years of age who is voluntarily absent from the person's home without the consent of the person's parent, guardian or custodian.”
State of Iowa v. Carlos Sierra-Rojas (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
· cites it 16× “Our court observed that Iowa Code section 710.8 makes no reference to reporting runaways to authorities.”
State of Iowa v. Toni Lynn Reese (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
· cites it 4× “was a runaway child, meaning she was under eighteen years of age and was voluntarily absent from her home without the consent of her guardian; (2) Reese aided, supported, or sheltered S.”
State of Iowa v. Cedric Lee Taylor (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
· cites it 4× “4(1)(b)(2)(d) (2022), and harboring a runaway, an aggravated misdemeanor, in violation of section 710.8. 3 The parties reached a plea deal, documented in this November 2023 order: Before the sentencing hearing, the department of correctional services prepared a presentence…”
Levine v. Boyd (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 2× “Heidi and Michael were charged with harboring a runaway in violation of Iowa Code section 710.8(3) (2022). The State dismissed the charges a few days after K.”
State of Iowa v. Cedric Lee Taylor (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
· cites it 2× “In March 2023, Cedric Taylor entered a written plea agreement with the State to plead guilty to one count of harboring a runaway child, an aggravated misdemeanor in violation of Iowa Code section 710.8 (2023), in Dallas County case number AGCR046667.”
United States v. Richard Mathis (8th Cir. 2018).
“” Iowa Code § 710.8 (2), (3). Iowa law defines a “[r]unaway child” as “a person under eighteen years of age who is voluntarily absent from the person’s home without the consent of the person’s parent, guardian or custodian.”
State of Iowa v. Carrie Ann Carre (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
“§ 710.8(1)(c). Carre contends the State failed to prove Officer Hansen had reasonable grounds to believe D.”
— Iowa Code § 710.8(1)(c) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Carrie Ann Carre (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
“§ 710.8(1)(c). Carre contends the State failed to prove Officer Hansen had reasonable grounds to believe D.”
— Iowa Code § 710.8(2) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 710.8(3) — 2 cases
Levine v. Boyd (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
“Heidi and Michael were charged with harboring a runaway in violation of Iowa Code section 710.8(3) (2022). The State dismissed the charges a few days after K.”
— Iowa Code § 710.8(l)(c) — 1 case
Wolf v. Wolf, 690 N.W.2d 887 (Iowa 2005).
“9 provides: A parent, guardian, or custodian of a runaway child has a right of action against a person who harbored the runaway child in violation of section 710.8 for expenses sustained in the search for the child, for damages sustained due to physical or emotional distress due…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
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treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.