Lily Peters, Missing Wis. Girl, Found Dead; Police Investigating As Homicide
Neighbors say the path through the woods where she was found is
used all the time by kids on bikes and people exercising or taking a walk. Before the tragic discovery, police had only located her bicycle near the walking trail.
[..]
Jeremy Machnik’s kids went to school with Peters, and he says they would play outside on the street near the trail.
“I see her and her cousins all the time, either biking, rollerblading on a hoverboard, going up and down the street. They sled in the back hill of our yard, and
she’s always happy, always happy, even if it’s 15 degrees and snowing out, I see them bundled up with their sleds coming down the street when it’s snowing out. They were always outside, always playing, always happy,” Machnik said. “It’s very traumatic, and it’s very sad. It’s very sad that it happened here. This is a great neighborhood.
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In cases like this, I tend to look at the demographics of the area and I think this community is very much what you see in a small town (13K), majority life long residents, a lot of poverty, addiction, little education, and a lack of opportunity for those left behind either caring for elderly parents or simply can't afford to move away. Or parents that moved back to raise their own children where they were raised -- believing it was
safe and where
kids could be kids.
Chippewa Falls was built around lumber and railroad until it wasn't. The homes of all those involved are 100+ yrs old -generations owned. The adult siblings (Peters) lived only 4 blocks apart and I don't doubt these siblings shared a mutual love for each other's children (niece/nephew). If you can't trust family, who can you trust?
A family's worst nightmare...
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