Can I charge someone with child molestation if it happened5 years ago?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I charge someone with child molestation if it happened5 years ago?
My niece’s brother molested her (like touched and fondled her) when she was age 11, 12, and 13 years old. He was 15, 16 and 17 at the time. My niece told her mom about it at age 15 and the brother confessed to it. My niece is now age 18 and is still pretty mad about the whole ordeal. Her mom didn’t go to the police with it. So, can we charge the brother for it now? He is age 22.
Asked on November 26, 2011 under Criminal Law, Georgia
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
It is not up to you or the victim to "charge" your niece's brother for the alleged molestation. Rather, it is up to law enforcement to be contacted for a report to be taken about what happened and then refer the incident report to the district attorney's office for review and the possible filing of criminal charges.
The issue that I see from law enforcement's point of view is that the incidents happened more than five (5) years ago and why is the claim of a criminal act now being brought up for possible review by law enforcement at this point in time?
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.