Lily Peters, 10-year-old Wisconsin girl, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, autopsy finds

A 10-year-old Wisconsin girl died from strangulation and blunt force trauma while on a forest trail near her aunt’s house, according to a preliminary autopsy.

Lily Peters was found dead in the small Wisconsin city of Chippewa Falls on Sunday. A 14-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday and charged with killing her.

The preliminary autopsy results released Thursday by the Chippewa County medical examiner matched the description of her death that prosecutors gave in court Wednesday, local ABC affiliate WQOW reported. County coroner Ron Patten ruled Peters’ death a homicide.

County prosecutors said the 14-year-old boy, who was not identified due to his age, plotted to murder the young girl.

The suspect punched Peters, struck her with a stick and strangled her “to the point of death before he then sexually assaulted her,” Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said.

“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,” Newell said.

Police said the 14-year-old boy knew Peters beforehand and confessed to the killing.

Peters’ death sent shockwaves through Chippewa Falls, a 14,000-person city about 90 miles east of Minneapolis. Purple ribbons dotted town streets, and police were on high alert at city schools on Tuesday before the arrest was announced.

Peters’ father reported her missing Sunday night when she didn’t arrive home from her aunt’s house as planned. Her body was found on the nearby trail Monday morning.

The 14-year-old boy was jailed on $1 million bail. He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a child.

Source: nydailynews