Can I file a criminal compliant for child abuse that I endured over 30 years ago?
Question Details:
Out of curiousity, I'm not sure what the statute of limitations are for this particular question. Also, this person now lives in Canada. My main objective is this, I don't want want I endured, happening to other people/kids, in the hands of her. I am now 35 and have struggled with serious anxiety/panic disorder stemming from 6 years of abuse when I was a child. In ME.
You can make a child abuse report concerning an incident that happened over 30 years ago with law enforcement. However, I doubt that once the report is passed onto the district attorney's office in the jurisdiction where the report was taken that criminal charges will be filed. The reasons are as follows:
1. too much time has passed since the incident and the present time, 30 plus years.
2. most likely the statute of limitations for any criminal action against the wrongdoer have run in the state where the incident happened;
3. the district attorney's office will most likely question your motivations for bringing such claims at this time when you are 35 years old as opposed to when you were much younger, for example, 20 years of age.
