chlidren molested years ago

What is the name of your state? New Hampshire

Back in 79 through 81 I lived in several counties in Salt Lake, Utah. Then in 82 we lived in Garland, Texas. (My children were toddlers to age 6) After returning to Utah without my husband, I discovered in 86 that they had been sexually molested by him all during those years. I immediately got counseling for my children and myself and filed a complaint with the police where I lived. I didn't know where my ex husband was at the time, not even what state he was in. Many years later after we had moved to New Hampsire, in 96 the child support services discovered his whereabouts. He lives in St Petersburg, FL. Child support is now taken out of his wages and mailed to me by the child support services. I called many lawyers here in NH and can find no way to prosecute him for what he did to us. Although the many years of counseling is documented, apparently even the police report in SLC is lost. sigh. But the main problem seems to be that the abuse took place in several counties in SLC, Utah and in Texas and we live here. My children are all now adults. They are still dealing with this. Still have nightmares and other issues. It still affects me too. I'm now disabled and can't work so have very little money. My children are all young adults and starting families so they too have little money. Is there any way to get some justice for something like this???? To be honest, I'd given up till I saw this forum and thought I'd give it one more shot....

You will have to research the statute of limitations on sexual crimes in the states in which the crimes occurred. Likely, the statute of limitations has passed in all those states, but check into it anyway.

What exactly are you wanting to do? Put him in jail, sue him, etc?

I just want some justice any way I can get it. Prison would be good for starters!

You'd think there would be some way to handle it all from where I am now. Doesn't seem right that we'd have to go back to where they occurred.

I live in PA, and involved in a child abuse case also. My sister who is 31 and daughter who is 15 were both molested by my stepfather. The statue of limitations here is until you are 23, so my sis could not file charges.

I did file charges against for my daughter's abuse, which happened 6-7 years ago, I JUST FOUND OUT about my daughter's AND my sisters, my sister never told.

If your children are under the ages of 23, you should have a good shot on filing charges, but will have to check with the laws in your state to be sure. It is a long and painful process. It's been 18 months now, and we are just going to court next Wednesday. My stepdad served one day in jail, and then the trial was postponed twice. The way things look now, he'll be spending his holidays behind bars

I sure hope so for your sake! Unfortunately all my children are now over 23. Basically it seems like that if the guy can stay hidden so you can't find him long enough then he gets off scott fee! grrrrrrrrrrrr

My daughter

I am going through the same thing with my daughter. Only it was a stranger that molested her. I am so sorry for your pain and what the children are going through and it is just sick that there can be a SOL on something this disgusting. I really do hope there is some way for both of your families to get justice and to get healthy. I am sorry I can't offer legal advice and personal opinions don't help. Just wanted to let you know I will be thinking of bot families.

Thank you dakoto70. I hope you get some justice for your daughter too!

Your welcome

your welcome and if you want to e-mail me and just talk it is [email protected]. Feel free to contact me if you feel like venting. We will get justice even if it is just to make sure he suffers for the rest of his life. He is a convicted sex offender and now I think this pig will be labeled as a sexual predetor and EVERYONE he hangs around will know this and this will not happen to another family if I have anything to do about it.

Karen

Thanks and you're welcome to join me on my board too!

It's at
http://www.fresh-hope.com/forums/index.php

CindyL10 said:

I just want some justice any way I can get it. Prison would be good for starters!

You'd think there would be some way to handle it all from where I am now. Doesn't seem right that we'd have to go back to where they occurred.

Click to expand...

I'm definitely no expert on this, but if one commits a murder in Michigan, and the person is caught in New Mexico, the person would be extradited back to Michigan to stand trial.

Since the crime occurred in states other than where you live, you need to find out if the case, if you have one, will have to be heard in those states.

In other words, if you are serious about this, you need the advice of a criminal attorney in one of those states or in your home state.

I did call attorneys in those states. They indicated that I would be very unlikely to get anywhere with this.

Utah statute of limitations are here, now this is for CIVIL prosecution http://www.smith-lawfirm.com/sol_Utah.html

Here are somemore links that talk about statute of limitations.
http://www.lambsroar.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=826

http://www.ncvc.org/gethelp/statutesoflimitations/

http://www.smith-lawfirm.com/sol_Texas.html




There are several different levels of crime when a child is abused and each one has a different statute. Your best bet is to talk to a lawyer in Texas and one in Utah. I would suggest addressing a post to Boxcarbill on here, he is an attorney from Texas and could help you out there.

how many kids are you talking about? how old were they when they first told you about the abuse?

Did you ever take the kids to a medical doctor for exams after they told you of the abuse?

when you reported the abuse to the police initially, what were you told?

three of my five children were abused and possibly the fouth but he was too young to really remember. They were between the ages of 18 months to 5 years old during the time of the abuse. They didn't tell me about it till he'd been gone for 4 years (he abandoned us) so there was no way to get evidence from a medical check. To be blunt the abuse was done orally and with his hands and they were made to do the same. When I initally reported it I was told there was nothing they could do unless he was found since he most likely wasn't in the state anymore.

Cindy....omg that is kinda what happened to me....my step father sexually abused me, using his hands, and made me return the "favor" :-( using my mouth and hands... we think more might have happened, but we arent sure because i cant remember, and quite frankly, im not sure i want to remember. What i can recall is horrific enough. But when I told, 2 years after it ended (ended when i was 8 years old) the police said nothing could be done.....they asked him if he did it, and he said no, so according to them he really didnt do it... i have gone the last 9 years of my life thinking that nothing can ever be done, especially since i am 19 years old now, but some of the posts on here have renewed my hope!!! i hope all goes well with your case, if they can get one... but you have no idea how much better it makes me feel about myself since i have found people that can relate to me!!! thank you for posting your problem on this site. And i hope it can be resolved.