Lily Peters, a 10-year-old girl, was physically tortured by a juvenile offender of 14 years old who sexually assaulted her after her murder in Wisconsin.
According to prosecutors, the court charged the suspect as an adult and set the bail bond at $1 million against the defendant’s request of granting him the bail of $100,000.
A Merciless Killing of a Young Girl
Judge Benjamin Lane ordered the defendant should not come in contact with any minor, except his siblings, until he is under supervision.
During the hearing, Wade Newell, the attorney of Chippewa County District, told the court the protection of the community was necessary as the suspect violently tortured the young girl.
According to the prosecutor, the 14-year-old admitted to punching the girl multiple times in the stomach, beating her with a stick, strangling her, and eventually assaulting her sexually.
#Breaking — A juvenile has been arrested in the killing of 10 year-old Lily Peters in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. pic.twitter.com/kGtRGL390X
— Paige Lobdell (@producerpaige_) April 26, 2022
However, the lawyer of the defendant claimed he should be set free on a $100,000 bail, as he is not a flight risk to others, a request which the judge rejected.
After the court meeting, Wade spoke to the media, stating the suspect is under the charges of first-degree sexual assault of an under 13-years-old child, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree murder, for which he can be put in prison for his whole life.
Under the Wisconsin law, homicide suspects over 10 years of age can be tried in an adult court. Though, the defendants’ team can challenge it to move the case to juvenile court.
Lily’s body was sent to Minnesota to the jurisdiction of Ramsey County, where the relevant authorities performed her autopsy, the results of which will be announced once the dead body comes back to Wisconsin.
On Sunday night, Lily’s father complained to police about his daughter, who did not return home from her aunt’s house.
The following morning, her dead body was found in a suburban area while a suspected 14-year-old was arrested on Tuesday.
Lily’s Brutal Killing Shocked Wisconsin
Former chief medical examiner of New York and physician Dr. Michael Baden stated while it is rare that an autopsy is outsourced by the state in such a high-profile case, it is still not unusual.
He claimed St. Paul of Minnesota has forensic pathologists for detailed examination of the girl, while Chippewa County of Minnesota did not have this facility.
Lily Peters was strangled, sexually assaulted by 14-year-old: prosecutors https://t.co/0lJ70XXQjF pic.twitter.com/FpJLYRIidF
— New York Post (@nypost) April 27, 2022
Meanwhile, a sense of horror started prevailing in the community after the news of Lily went viral.
This prompted community members to circulate a petition in which they sought the establishment of a proper way to inform people about missing children. The petition got 55,000 signatures until Wednesday evening.
After the incident, the police stated there could still be an active danger to the community.
Later on, the police indicated the suspect knew the victim, so there is no active threat present to the public at the time.
A local business owner said the community went through great distress on Monday and Tuesday after the incident; with the actual suspect in custody, now the public is at ease.
