Lily Peters died from blunt force trauma and strangulation, autopsy reveals – latest

The death of 10-year-old Iliana “Lily” Peters and the arrest of a 14-year-old boy for her murder has shocked the small, tight-knit community of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, this week.

Lily was found dead on Monday morning in a wooded area close to a walking trail by the Leinenkugel’s brewery.

The fourth-grade student had been reported missing by her father at around 9pm on Sunday after she failed to return from her aunt’s house on North Grove Street to her own home on East Birch Street.

Here’s a recap of the case:

Chippewa Police Chief Matthew Kelm has thanked the community for the support it has shown law enforcement following the murder of Lily Peters.

Mr Kelm told WEAU that this support had helped his officers cope with the emotional and mental strain the tragedy has taken on them.

“I think a big part of what helps our officers is the outpouring of support we’ve gotten from the community. It’s been unbelievable,” he said.

“One officer told me this morning he was stopped three times by cars just walking across the street, just stopping to say thank you. So that stuff really does help us and helps our officers mental and emotional well-being.”

The police chief said that resources have been available for the officers as well, including a counselor at the command post at the scene of the murder.

When 10-year-old Lily Peters was reported missing by her father on Sunday night, no Amber Alert was issued.

In an initial media release prior to her body being found, Chippewa Falls Police Department said that her disappearance did not meet the criteria for issuing an alert.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, there are three criteria that must be met for an Amber Alert to be issued in the state.

These are: that the child must be 17 years of age or younger; that the initiating agency must have enough descriptive information about the child, the suspect and/or the suspect vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help locate the child; and that the child must be in danger of serious bodily harm or death.

It appears that there was not enough information at the time of Lily’s disappearance to satisfy the last criteria.

Now, a Change.org petition is calling for the launch of a “Lily Alert” to change the system around the disappearance of missing children.

An Amber Alert is an emergency child abduction alert sent out to the public as soon as possible after a child goes missing.

It provides information about the child and the abduction such as the child’s description so that members of the public with any information can submit tips.

The alert system was first launched following the abduction and murder of nine-year-old Amber Rene Hagerman in Texas in 1996.

Preliminary autopsy results have revealed that 10-year-old Lily Peters suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation and her death has been ruled a homicide.

The Independent first reported the findings of the preliminary autopsy on Thursday after speaking with Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten.

Mr Patten said that the results are preliminary and he expects the full autopsy report to be completed in around six weeks’ time.

He said that the full autopsy will include additional testing as officials want to be “very thorough” with the investigation into the girl’s murder.

The preliminary findings support the version of events presented in court on Wednesday, where a 14-year-old boy was accused of punching Lily, hitting her with a stick and strangling her, before sexually assaulting her.

A Wisconsin lawmaker has vowed to review the current Amber Alert process for missing children as a Change.org petition calling for the launch of a “Lily Alert” grows following the shocking murder of 10-year-old Lily Peters.

Wisconsin State Rep Jesse James said he plans to meet with local police chiefs “about what is in place and look at possibilities for improvement” when children are reported missing in the state, in a memo shared on the Change.org petition page.

“We are not sure yet what can and will be able to be changed,” it reads.

“Creating legislation is a slow process but be assured that this issue is very much on Rep. James’ radar.”

The message came in response to a Change.org petition launched by local Chippewa Falls resident Eric Henry after Lily’s body was found in a wooded area close to a walking trail on Monday morning.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with three counts in the death of Lily Peters. These charges are:

– First-degree intentional homicide

– First-degree sexual assault

– First-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13 resulting in great bodily harm

At the moment, the juevnile is being charged as an adult because, under Wisconsin law, first-degree homicide charges must first be brought in adult court if the suspect is aged 10 or older.

The case can be transferred to juvenile court at a later date or prosecutors could continue to try the suspect as an adult.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that it would be “premature” to speculate whether prosecutors plan to continue to try the suspect in adult court however he added that it is a “very serious case”.

If the suspect is tried in adult court, he faces up to life in prison on the homicide charge, up to 60 years on the sexual assault charge, and up to life in prison on the sexual assault of a minor charge.

Neighbours recalled seeing Lily Peters playing with one of her cousins outside her aunt’s home just hours before she was killed.

Jeremy Machnik lives on the same street as Lily’s aunt – North Grove Street in Chippewa Falls.

Mr Machnik told Fox9 earlier this week – prior to the suspect’s arrest – that he saw the 10-year-old girl rollerblading along the street between 1pm and 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

She was with one of her cousins who was playing on a hoverboard and they appeared to be having fun, he said.

“Between about 1 and 3[pm], one of her cousins was on a hoverboard, he had his hands behind his back and she was on rollerblades holding on,” he said.

“And they were scooting down the street just laughing.”

Sometime later that day, Lily left her aunt’s house with her 14-year-old alleged killer and they went along a nearby walking trail, according to prosecutors.

There, the suspect allegedly attacked, punching and strangling the 10-year-old before sexually assaulting her.

At 9pm that night, Lily’s father reported her missing when she failed to return home from her aunt’s house.

Her body was discovered the next morning close to the trail.

Prosecutors said the suspect intended to rape and murder his victim when they left the house.

A harrowing Reddit post may have helped lead police to the 14-year-old boy now charged with the murder and sexual assault of slain schoolgirl Lily Peters.

On Monday night, Reddit user HomesliceNation4 commented on a thread about the 10-year-old’s death saying he had seen a girl matching Lily’s description “with another kid” on the walking trail close to where her body had been found.

“What’s scary is I was playing Pokemon Go in the park that day walking along that very same trail,” the Reddit user wrote.

“My stomach turns when I think I saw that girl in a pink/purple hoodie on her bike with another kid on my way out.”

They added: “I have a suspicion that it could be another kid that did it.”

At the time the comment was left, police had found Lily dead in a wooded area by the walking trail.

No arrests had been made, there were no suspects in the case and police were urging the community to be vigilant for fear that there could be an ongoing danger.

Lily was last seen wearing a purple 1/4 zip long sleeve shirt with black stretch pants and grey shoes, according to the missing persons press release.

Other Reddit users were quick to comment on HomesliceNation4’s post, urging them to contact law enforcement while others said they had called the tipline to report the alleged sighting.

On Tuesday, police arrested a 14-year-old boy known to Lily on suspicion of her murder.

The suspect, who is to only be referred to by his initials C P-B, allegedly led Lily down the walking trail where he punched her in the stomach, beat her with a stick and strangled her before sexually assaulting the 10-year-old.

The suspect charged with the murder of Lily Peters is a 14-year-old boy who police said was known to the 10-year-old victim.

Because of his age and the sensitivity of the case, Chippewa County Court on Wednesday ordered that the suspect’s name must not be released and that he cannot be filmed during court appearanaces.

Instead, the suspect is known only by his initials C P-B.

Officials have refused to say if he is related to Lily but have confirmed that they knew each other.

According to prosecutors, the teenager admitted in statements to law enforcement that “his intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go” when they left a house together and headed down a nearby walking trail.

Lily was last seen alive at her aunt’s house on North Grove Street on Sunday before she left to return to her home at East Birch Street. Her body was discovered on Monday morning in a wooded area close to a nearby walking trail.

Prosecutors said the suspect told officers he and the victim left the home together and headed along the walking trial.

There, he allegedly punched Lily in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her with a stick, strangled her “to the point of death” and sexually assaulted her.

Police arrested the suspect after carrying out a search warrant at the aunt’s home on Tuesday, where they collected evidence and carried out interviews.

Officials have refused to confirm if the boy lives at the address.

The defence team said in court on Wednesday that he is an eighth-grade student who has lived in Chippewa Falls with his mother his whole life.

The 14-year-old has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual asssualt, and first-degree sexual asssualt of a child under age 13 resulting in great bodily harm.

If convicted as an adult, he faces up to life in prison on the charges.

The death of 10-year-old Iliana “Lily” Peters and the arrest of a 14-year-old boy for her murder has shocked the small, tight-knit community of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, this week.

Lily was found dead on Monday morning in a wooded area close to a walking trail by the Leinenkugel’s brewery.

The fourth-grade student had been reported missing by her father at around 9pm on Sunday after she failed to return from her aunt’s house on North Grove Street to her own home on East Birch Street.

Here’s everything we know so far about the case: