THE mother of a slain 10-year-old ripped internet trolls for “judging her family” hours after she learned her daughter had allegedly been killed by a teen, who is reported to be the girl’s cousin.
Iliana “Lily” Peters’ body was found in a wooded area of a small Wisconsin town on Monday morning after she was allegedly beaten, strangled to death and then sexually assaulted.
“What makes zero sense is how quickly you judge my family based on a timeline and assumptions u (sic) can only speculate on since its privy to the investigation that those details not be released,” Lily’s mother Jennifer Eyerly said in a social media post.
“As Lily’s mother, I can only say I am ashamed of you folks out there judging us from behind a screen!
“I hope you never ever endure this kind of heartache! If you cannot offer kindness, don’t offer anything. My daughter was kind!
“If you truly want to be part of bringing justice … you can do right by my daughter and model something she lived by …. kindness!”
STORIES ABOUT LILY PETERS
Eyerly and her family have been under scrutiny since news broke about Lily’s death, which police immediately ruled a homicide.
Trolls have questioned her parenting, said what they would’ve or wouldn’t have done if Lily was her daughter and filled in information gaps with their own theories.
Eyerly posted her comment before Lily’s alleged killer – a 14-year-old 8th grader – was arrested.
The suspect is reportedly her cousin, but police and prosecutors in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin haven’t confirmed that detail.
Police Chief Matthew Kelm said the department received over 200 tips, including screenshots of a chilling Reddit post claiming to see Lily with “another kid” before she went missing.
“I have a suspicion that it could be another kid that did it,” the Reddit user said at a time when police warned the community to be vigilant, which fuelled speculation that a predator was on the prowl..
Lily’s horrifying last moments were revealed in court by Chippewa County, Wisconsin District Attorney Wade Newell as he detailed charges against the teenage suspect, who’s named as C.P.B. in court documents.
“He told law enforcement that his intention was to rape and kill the victim,” Newell said in court on Wednesday.
The young girl was left for dead Sunday night, and her body was found the next morning.
A preliminary autopsy found that Lily died from “blunt force trauma and strangulation,” Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten told The Sun on Thursday.
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He said he expects a full report to be finished in four to six weeks but couldn’t go into details about his early findings because it’s part of an ongoing investigation.
The suspect is held in a juvenile detention center on $1million bond.
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