Missing 10-Year-Old Girl Found Dead In Woods -- Police Hunting For Killer & Urging Community To 'Remain Vigilant'

27.04.2022 - 00:19 / perezhilton.com

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Wisconsin police have turned a missing persons case into a homicide investigation after the body of a 10-year-old girl was found.

During a press conference on Monday, Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said the body of Iliana Peters (above) was discovered in a wooded area near the Duncan Creek Trail at about 9:15 a.m. on Monday.

According to the department, the fourth grader was reported missing by her father on Sunday night after she failed to return home from a visit to her aunt’s house. Her bicycle was found later that evening in the woods near a walking trail not far from her aunt’s home. After the body was discovered, it was later confirmed to be Peters by the Chippewa County Coroner.

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Kelm said the investigation is just kicking off, adding that no one has been taken into custody yet. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin State Crime Lab, and several Chippewa Falls-area law enforcement agencies are all working on the investigation.

The chief asked the public to remain vigilant, noting that while police are following multiple leads, there may very well be an ongoing danger to the public. He said:

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chippewa County Dispatch Center at 715-726-7701 and select Option 1.

As the search for Peters’ killer continues, the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District is increasing security measures and recommending parents or guardians pick up or drop off students who normally walk to and from their schools. The school’s administration has also asked for a stronger police presence at its schools and