Lily Peters news - latest: Preliminary autopsy shows victim suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation
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A preliminary autopsy has found that 10-year-old Liliana “Lily” Peters suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation with her death being ruled a homicide.
Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten confirmed the details to The Independent on Thursday, saying that the full autopsy report is not expected for several more weeks.
The preliminary findings support the version of events presented in court on Wednesday, where a 14-year-old boy was held on $1m bond on charges of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age 13 resulting in great bodily harm.
Prosecutors said the teenager, who knew his victim, led Lily along a walking trail near her aunt’s house where he allegedly punched her in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her with a stick and strangled her before sexually assaulting her.
The teenager, referred to by his initials C P-B, allegedly confessed to police that “his intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go” when they left Lily’s aunt’s house together on Sunday.
Lily was reported missing by her father that night and her body was discovered on Monday morning close to the trail.
Suspect to appear in court today
The suspect arrested in connection to the murder of 10-year-old Lily Peters is expected to appear in court later today.
A bond hearing has been schedukled for 1pm on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Chippewa County District Attorney’s office told The Independent.
The DA’s office said that was the only information available at this time.
It is not clear what charges the juvenile suspect, whose age, gender and name has not been publicly released, is facing or if are expected to be charged as an adult.
Tight-knit community rallies round after girl’s death
The tight-knit Chippewa Falls community of about 13,000 people has been rallying round after the tragic killing of 10-year-old Lily Peters.
A touching memorial, with teddy bears, candles and balloons, has been growing outside Parkview Elementary School where she went to fourth grade.
Another memorial has also been set up outside the Leinenkugel Brewing Company, close to where her body was found on Monday.
Purple ribbons – Lily’s favourite colour – have been tied around lampposts in the downtown area and local businesses have put up posters in their windows featuring Lily flowers and reading “Justice for Lily”.
The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District (CFAUSD) is urging people to wear purple on Friday “in support of Lily and her family” and a GoFundMe has been launched to help the 10-year-old’s family with funeral expenses.
Watch: Police announce arrest of suspect in Lily Peter’s murder case
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm announced the arrest of a suspect in the investigation into Lily Peter’s murder in a press conference on Tuesday evening.
Chief Kelm said that a juvenile suspect was taken into custody earlier that evening and there is no longer any perceived danger to the community.
Watch the press conference below:
What charges does the suspect face?
The suspect arrested in connection to the murder of 10-year-old Lily Peters will appear in court for the first time for a bond hearing at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Chippewa County District Attorney’s office told The Independent.
Officials have not revealed what charges the suspect is facing or whether the juvenile, whose age, gender and name has not been publicly released, will be charged as an adult.
However, police have described Lily’s death as a homicide.
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 then be transferred to juvenile court.
Recommendations that children don’t walk to school lifted
The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District (CFAUSD) has lifted its recommendation that children do not walk to and from school alone, following the apprehension of the sole suspect in the Lily Peters’ murder investigation.
In a letter to parents, the district said that it was no longer urging parents to pick up and drop off students at their schools, pointing to the news that the suspect is now in police custody.
On Tuesday, the district had asked parents not to let their children walk to and from school and additional law enforcement officers were drafted in to patrol local schools as the 10-year-old’s killer remained at large.
That evening, Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm announced that a suspect had been arrested and that he believed there was no longer any danger to the community.
Suspect about to appear in court
The suspect in the Lily Peters’ murder case is about to appear in court for the first time for a bond hearing.
The hearing begins at 1pm CT with the suspect expected to appear via Zoom.
Court officials said that there will be no Zoom livestream for members of the media or the public to join remotely.
The suspect, who is a juvenile, will only be referred to by their initials during the court appearance, they said.
14-year-old male suspect appears in court
The suspect appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday afternoon where he was identified only as a 14-year-old male with the initials C P-B.
Due to his age and the sensitivity of the case, the judge said that media was not allowed to stream footage of the defendant or the victim’s family in the gallery.
Suspect held on $1m bond
The juvenile suspect’s bond was set at $1m after the court was told how he allegedly led 10-year-old Lily Peters along a wooded trail where he beat, strangled and sexually assaulted her.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:
Juvenile suspect held on $1m bond for rape and murder of Lily Peters
Suspect, who was referred to in court by his initials C P-B, appeared in court for the first time for a bond hearing on Wednesday afternoon
Suspect said his intention was ‘to rape and kill victim from get-go'
The suspected killer said that “his intention was to rape and kill” Lily Peters “from the get-go” as he left the house with the 10-year-old to go along a wooded trail close to where her body was later found, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors told the court saying that the 14-year-old suspect made statements to law enforcement outlining the shocking details of the 10-year-old’s murder.
“His intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go when he left the house with the victim going down the trail,” the prosecutor said.
After going down the trail, the suspect allegedly punched Lily in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her with a stick and strangled her “to the point of death”.
The suspect then sexually assaulted the 10-year-old child.
Her body was found in a wooded area close to the trail on Monday morning.
Next court appearance set for 5 May
The suspect is next scheduled to appear in court at 3.30pm CT on Thursday 5 May.
The hearing next week will make decisions around counsel being assigned to the defendant going forwards.
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