Child (16 yr old) acting in a suicidal way in front of police officers- was taken to a mental facility for evaluation. One week later, officers call and demand that I pick her up, if not then they would arrest me for child abandonment.
Question: Can they do this? Or is this just a bully move to scare me into pick my 16 yr old up?

And just why wouldn't you want to go pick up your child?

She is very disrespectful to everything_ verbally< and physically> she has broken the upstairs bathroom sink and countertop into # large pieces< she has stolen from us< lied to us< sneaks boys into her room from the upstairs bedroom window< and she completely disobeys all house rules she has been caught up town at #:#)am with older boys skipping out on a bill at denny"s< she was caught a week ago getting someone to purchase booze at a liquor store< and when she was supposed to be at work< she had really been in a closed park getting drunk with a group of * others> she has been caught shoplifting> she is just so out of control! I really do not know what else to do>>>

Get a lawyer. Until she is 18 you are responsible for her. So,yes, they can charge you with abandonment. However, you may have other alternatives; commitment, emancipation etc. You need an attorney to go over

If the mental facility is going to release her, yes you have a legal obligation to pick her up, if she is breaking things in the house, why are the police not called ? If you need her in the juv system, you need to talk with family and children services, and/or get the juv authorities invovled.

Please tell me you are not in MS. It would be nice to know that my state isn't the only one screwed up enough to continue to allow a child to fall through the cracks. I have learned one thing through my battle though. In MS residential treatment is scarce so all of the acute treatment centers will release the child to the parents because they will not be paid to recommend residential treatment because all of their facilities, sister facilities beds are full. There is a waiting list here for residential so unless you can have a court order, which is difficult to do with a minor. You are screwed. You could start reporting incidents to the authorities but in my experience all that will do is have the child placed in juevenille detention which rarely helps the child with their issues. It is more of a form of punishment than a treatment option.

This is just my opinion based on my experience in my state.

Also, a friend of mine suggested (after the fact of the situation I am in) that I could have inquired about filing a "beyond control petition" but she knowledgeable in AL law/social work. So I am not sure that applies everywhere or even in MS.