CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis — The teen accused of killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, will have his case remain in the adult court system, the court of appeals announced Tuesday.
The case stems from the April 2022 death of Peters, who was reported missing after leaving her aunt's home. Her body was found in a wooded area. She was naked from the waist down and had injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, court documents say. Three days later, a 14-year-old was arrested for causing her death and for sexually assaulting her.
The teen, who has been described in court records by his initials C.P.B., told investigators it was his intention to rape and kill Peters when they left the house, court documents say.
The charge of first-degree intentional homicide begins in the adult criminal court system in Wisconsin. C.P.B.'s lawyer petitioned to transfer the case to juvenile court but was denied by a Chippewa County judge. His lawyer appealed that decision, but on Tuesday the court of appeals announced C.P.B. "had not met his burden to show that transferring jurisdiction to the juvenile court would not depreciate the seriousness" of the offense.
"The circuit court also emphasized that Christopher convinced the victim to leave a residence and go down a trail with him, with the specific, pre-existing intention to rape and kill her. The court found that Christopher’s actions “were violent and egregious in nature,” that Christopher “carried out his plan to rape and murder a ten-year-old young girl, viciously and with brutality,” and that his crimes were “clearly premeditated.” The court also noted that two of the charged crimes are Class A felonies and that “[t]here are no more serious crimes than Class A felonies in the Wisconsin Statute."
During the hearing to move the case to juvenile court, witnesses testified that C.P.B. had mental health diagnoses and treatment needs, according to court documents.
Court records do not show any future court dates currently scheduled for C.P.B.