Lily Peters
(Picture: Chippewa Falls Police Department)The body of a missing 10-year-old girl has been found in Wisconsin, with police treating the case as homicide.
Iliana Peters, who went by the name Lily, was found dead around 9.15am on Monday, the local Chippewa Falls Police Department said.
The schoolgirl had been reported missing by her father after she did not return home from her aunt’s house in the City of Chippewa Falls, in the west of the state, on Sunday night.
Lily was last seen wearing a purple long-sleeved shirt with black stretch pants and grey shoes.
Announcing the news, Matthew Kelm, Chief of Police, said: “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Lily Peters during this tragic time”.
Mr Kelm said Monday police did not currently have anyone in custody.
Officers had previously located a bike in the woods in their search for Lily, a fourth-grade student, near a walking trail at the end of her aunt’s street. The bike was believed to belong to Lily.
On Monday morning, Lily’s body was located in the woods near the area where the bike was found.
Mr Kelm urged local residents to contact officers if they had information and to “maintain a state of vigilance as there may be a danger to the public.”
He said: “It is almost impossible to believe that something this horrific could happen in our city.
“And an event like this threatens our sense of security. However, I believe we will come together as a community to overcome this fear.”
