On April 24, 2022, Lily was reported missing about 9:00 p.m. after she did not return home from her aunt's residence. While her father was searching for Lily, he found her bike abandoned in Chippewa Falls in a wooded area. Searches in that area resulted without locating Lily.
The next day, Lily's body was found deceased near her aunt's house, near the location of the abandoned bicycle.
AUTOPSY
Lily's injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma and the cause of death was strangulation.
Lily had been murdered.
SUSPECT
An unidentified 14 year old male cousin was interviewed the day after Lily's body was found. He stated that he told Lily to 'go exploring off the trail'. While he was in the woods with Lily, he stated he punched her in the stomach, knocking her to the ground, and hit her with a stick. He then strangled her and attempted to assault her after Lily died. He became scared and went home, showered, and put his dirty clothes in the laundry. He later made the decision that he needed to 'hide her better', returned to Lily's body, dragged her by her feet and covered her with leaves. The 14 year old boy was charged with first degree intentional homicide, first degree intentional assault and first degree sexual assault of a child under 13
As of now, he is being charged as an adult, and is being held in a juvenile detention on a $1 Million dollar bond.
THE SUSPECT'S FATHER
The US Sun noted that the suspect's father has a criminal history of his own. He was arrested in 2016 over 'several' explicit images of children on his phone. He pled guilty to felony possession of child pyrography and one count of bail jumping. On a plea deal he was sentenced to 3 years in prison with an additional 3 years of supervised release, a NO CONTACT ORDER with minors including his son.
While he has been in prison, he pled with the judge to allow unsupervised contact with his son. He was denied twice.
Rest in Peace dear Lily.
Fox News
The US Sun
CNN