# File Abuse Charges?



## Guest (Aug 30, 2008)

I was wondering how you would go about filing abuse charges on someone. To make a long story short I have a fmaily friend whos mothers boyfriend hit one of her children 9 times and harder each time because he would not listen or pick up his toys. I feel that hitting a child 9 times plus harder each time is not a form of spanking nor punishment it is abuse. The children have been taken and partly because of what this man chose to do, since the boy had big bruises and hand prints on his butt. The mother of the child noticed them when the children came home from a weekend a grammas. She filed a 51-a against him because she knew that they would try and blame her. She took pictures also of the bruises. This man has not only admitted this to me but several other people and in his twisted mind feels its no abuse and neither is handcuffing a child id necessary. I know that is abuse and i do not tolerate it. DSS is trying to make the mother take the blame for this even thoug the proof is on him. How would she go about bringing these pictures to the police and filing charges on him? She refuses to admit to this and feels as though he should be punished for what he did not only to her son but also because now the family is torn apart. Is it too late even if it was a year or more ago??


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## NEPS (Aug 29, 2006)

ladydee23 said:


> How would she go about bringing these pictures to the police and filing charges on him? She refuses to admit to this and feels as though he should be punished for what he did not only to her son but also because now the family is torn apart. Is it too late even if it was a year or more ago??


The statute of limitations for an offense like this is at least 6 years, though reports always seem more reliable if made shortly after the alleged crime occurred. If she wishes to report this to the police in most places she could either call to ask an officer to come by, or go to the police station, or perhaps call and ask to speak to the juvenile officer who, in many departments, specializes not just in crime committed by juveniles but against children.

If the police do not choose to bring a complaint, she or the mother may go to the district court and apply for a criminal complaint against the offender. The court now must collect a fee (I think it is $15) when a private citizen files a criminal complaint, but that would be another approach not controlled by the police. Some courts require that the offense be at least first reported to the police. Proof of this is a copy of the police report.


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