I am not the OP. This was originally posted by u/throwawaywronghouse in 2017 on r/legaladvice.

Note: If you're a legal advice regular, the post is worth looking at because the mods were much spicier when removing posts in 2017 vs today. I got a good laugh out of some of the remove reasons.

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I accidentally spent the night in a stranger's house (I mixed up the address). Should I go ahead and report this to the police/homeowners or say nothing?(6 June 2017)

I'm a college student returning home for the summer break. I go to school several states away and was making the 20 hour drive home to south Florida. I spent all day driving and I was tired and didn't want to spend money on a hotel if I didn't have to. I called up one of my sorority sisters who lives in the Florida panhandle and asked if I could stay the night with her. Sorority sister says she is out of town, but gives me her address and tells me that I can crash at her family's beach house. She gives me the specific instructions to enter through the kitchen window since there is no spare key and she leaves the kitchen window unlocked. I'm very good friends with my sorority sister and know her family, so I didn't think anything of it.

I drove to the beach house and entered through the kitchen window. It was very late and I fell asleep on the couch without using the bathroom or looking around or anything like that. The next morning, I woke up and realized that I was not in the right house because I didn't recognize anyone in the photos hanging up. I cleaned up the couch and left as quickly as possible and was able to figure out that I went to the house across the street from my friend's beach house.

I did not intend to break into this house and I'm worried now that I'll be reported to the police or something. The house had security cameras but I have no clue if they were turned on or not. Do you think I should go to the police and let them know about the mixup?

Update in same post, made 7 June 2017

Update: My friend's family was able to get in contact with the homeowners and everything was fine. They were grateful that we let them know the window was open and understanding about the mixup. I won't be climbing through an open window again.

I read all the posts here and I am thankful to you all for the advice. FYI, I had already told my friend's family about the incident and they were already in the process of trying to contact the homeowners when I made the post, otherwise I would have followed the advice and remained silent. I'm lucky that the homeowners were understanding of the situation.

Relevant Comments:

• OOP: I didn't cause any damage; The only thing I did was sleep on the couch and I left as soon as I figured out my mistake. I guess the only thing I can do is contact a lawyer. Thanks for the advice.
• Commenter: "Do you think I should go to the police and let them know about the mixup?"
  

Short Answer: No

Long Answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

/IANAL

• Commenter: The fact that OP is even asking this question belies a gravely naive trust of the criminal justice system. The police are not there to help provide you with penance. They are not on your side. You did nothing wrong and thankfully suffered no consequences for it. Before moving on, though, please, please, please watching this video, and do so at least once a year. It is good for the soul. Video that everyone should watch every year: (Search Youtube for "Don't Talk to the Police", an entertaining talk by lawyer James Duane).