My teenage daughter seemed to go crazy when she turned 17, which was not that long ago. Up until then she had always been very responsible and got good grades. But as soon as she turned 17, she started doing drugs and sneaking out of her window at night.

We have always been too strict on her. I realize that now, but it was only for her protection. Anyway, one night about two weeks ago, she was supposed to be at her job at a cafe. We went there to get a drink and she wasn't there. So we went in and talked to the manager. He said she was fired for not coming to work well over a week ago! But she had been leaving home like she was going to work and coming home at the time she would normally get off work.

Well, we called her and started yelling at her and told her to "get home now!" Her return response was "I'm not coming home any more. I'm 17 and I don't want to live under your rules any more." She eventually came and gave us her car and cell phone that we provided for her and she got all her clothes and her dog and her CDs and left with a girlfriend whom we had never met before.

We called the police and to our amazement, they said there was nothing they could do about it. She is of legal age to be on her own. I thought it was 18! They said there was a girls' school we could forcibly have her put in but she would probably hate our guts if we did. If she was younger, I might consider it, but I think that wouldn't be the right solution. She will call us and check in if we page her and once she met us at the mall and talked a little. She just won't consider coming home.

She says she is happy. We always tried to provide her with everything she wanted and she and I were like best friends. So this has devastated me. I am a nurse and I haven't even been able to go to work. Been practically bedridden. I can't talk with my friends about it without bawling my eyes out. I was physically active and worked out all the time, but now all I want to do is sit home and feel sorry for myself.

My daughter also quit school and got her GED already. And I am sure there is a boy involved in all this. But I have tried to bribe her into coming home and told her we would give her freedom and she could have her car back and all and still be able to see this boy, but she won't even consider it.

It's like she has no sympathy for what we are going through. She is my only child and my house seems so empty without her.

What can we do to get our baby to come back home? We love and miss her so much and it was just a few weeks ago that she was 16. How can so much change happen so quickly? Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks very much!

Worried Mom