Is there a statute of limitations on child molestation?
My parents divorced when I was 3. Every other weekend my brother, my sister and myself had visitation with my father. A male cousin who was often at my father's house, would try constantly to molest my sister, my brother and myself. He always tried to do this while we were sleeping. He would wake us up trying to fondle us, or to expose himself, he would try masturbating in front of us and ask us to touch it. Whenever he started this, I always ran to my dad's room or my step-sister's room to get away from him. By the way, my step-sister endured the same abuse from him as well. No penetration ever occurred with my sister, step-sister or I, but my brother admitted that my cousin actually penetrated him, on more than one occasion. He said he asked my cousin to stop, but my cousin continued to rape him well into his teens.
In adulthood, both my brother and sister became homosexual.
The problem I am having is that my cousin's sister has 3 girls. The oldest is 18 and the younger ones are 5 and 7. My female cousin admitted to me that my cousin, her brother, was doing the same things to her girls that he did to us. She said she didn't think it was anything more than "tickling". I asked her what she was going to do about it and she said nothing. She said she needed her brother. She said he helps her a lot with her kids, and that she needs that break. I think she needs a break all right, but I think it should be her neck.
My Grandfather recently passed away, but my Grandmother is still alive. My sick cousin takes care of my Grandmother; he does everything for her. He takes her shopping, takes her to church, takes her to her doctor's appointments, etc. My Grandmother swears the sun rises and sets on him; she is rather fond of him. She has no idea what he has done or what he is doing, and sometimes I think if I told her she was just accuse me of lying. If only she knew what a monster he truly is.
I do not want my baby cousins growing up the same way we did, fearing men. I do not want them to have to endure what we did either. I told my Dad when I was a child what my cousin was doing, and my Dad did nothing. My father is now deceased. I told my mom when I was an adult and she broke down. She asked why we never told her as children. But I was 5, I told an adult, my father, and as I said, he did nothing. As a child I thought I did the right thing by telling an adult. I guess I just told the wrong adult. My mother is now deceased as well.
I am stuck as to whether I should call CPS, tell the entire family, or try to have him prosecuted. If I tell my family, I am almost certain the molestation would stop, but I am not certain if my baby cousins would admit that it is happening. Is there a statute of limitations on child molestation? My brother is deceased, but my sister, step-sister and I still remember my cousin's actions vividly.
I am mostly concerned about my baby cousins and whether I should call CPS, tell my family, turn him in or all of the above. Any advice would be appreciated.
