Authorities have confirmed that a 14-year-old boy is responsible for the death of a 10-year-old Wisconsin girl whose body was just uncovered in a wooded area.
Some brief background history
The victim in question, Iliana “Lily” Peters, had gone missing recently following a visit to see her aunt.
Matthew Kelm, Chippewa Falls Police Chief stated that the victim had never returned home after the visit to see her aunt and only her bike had been discovered only a few blocks away from her aunt’s home.
Sadly, the following morning Lily’s body was discovered in a nearby wooded area by authorities.
What is happening now
NBC News reported on the incident, sharing that Chippewa County Prosecutor Wade Newell explained how the victim is likely to have died a violent death.
The 14-year-old suspect is accused of hitting Lily in the stomach to the point of knocking her to the ground, after which he hit her with a stick “before strangling her to the point of death before then sexually assaulting her.”
He mentioned, “Given the statements the defendant made to law enforcement, that 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 state believes there is a need to protect the community.”
The adolescent remains anonymous and is currently being held on $1 million cash bond in connection with the murder of Iliana Peters.
If it happens that the boy is able to post bond, the outlet has stated that he is restricted from having access to any weapons and will be forced to stay away from all children/adolescents who he is not related to.
WPVI-TV disclosed that the boy is charged with first-degree homicide, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a minor under the age of 13 resulting in extreme bodily harm.
It’s highly likely that the suspect could spend the rest of his life in prison, if he is convicted on the charge of first-degree homicide.
Video on the crime can be viewed here: www.youtube.com
