The first question: Can a 16-year-old live alone in the US? Yes, under certain circumstances, some legal, some not. If your parents agree, (or if you have no parents, the court agrees) and you can prove that you can support yourself financially, you can get yourself declared emancipated by the court.
When you call a dead phone does it ring?
Answer: A: With a dead battery it should not ring but it should go to voicemail directly.