^ So true. The first gang that started in Chicago back in the early 80s had nothing to do with African Americans & I am sure many people when think of Chicago gangs always get an African American image in mind.
To the OP. I hope they find the kid & he someday somehow turns around InshaAllah & hope Allah helps his family to go through all this with less pain as possible.
No offence intended but the parents are to be blamed for this. I have seen it through my own eyes when fathers are too busy working extra hours just so they can provide "everything" to their kids & with moms it comes down to understanding the language where the kids are growing up. Most mothers can understand or speak English properly but they still wouldn't know all the urban terms of gangs/drugs & other considerably bad things. Most parents think that their family is fine being religious & cultural & assume that kids will automatically follow their path.
We don't pay attention to kids when they are a tender age & really learning things & then when they enter their teenage years the real trouble begins. That's when we try to instill good moral values in them & by then its too late.
As far as the cousin not telling anyone part is concerned. I think she did what most of us might have done. She warned the family but didn't say much because maybe she thought about how it might actually come against her as in "oh why is she talking about our kid like that. Just because he has done some bad things doesn't mean he will do other bad things too." I have seen that happening with my own eyes.
For some reason we love our siblings & kids so much that no matter what bad things they do we always pray to Allah that things would turn around & also believe in ourself that since he/she is part of our family he is not as bad or is not capable of doing that much damage.
My thoughts & prayers are with the family & I think would be parents or parents who have really young kids should learn something from this.
Living in Western countries its not just about teaching our kids about Islam or about our Pakistani roots. Its also about bridging the gap a kid might feel when going out to school or hanging out with neighbors.