A teen girl from Illinois was allegedly raped and killed by her step-uncle, whose care she was left in, despite the person having a history of repeated sexual offenses. Kylie Toberman, 14, was found dead inside an RV on the Vandalia, Illinois, property where she had been staying, ending a frantic search for cops that lasted several hours.
She was last seen around 9 p.m. on Thursday and was reported missing at 6:30 the next morning. At the time, she was believed to be wearing a red sweatshirt and black leggings. Kylie's body was found around 2:20 p.m. later that afternoon. Authorities have not yet determined her cause of death.
Sad End
Her step-uncle, Arnold Barry Rivera, 43, was arrested shortly after Kylie's body was found. Police say he tried to flee on foot and even attempted to force his way into nearby homes to hide before he was finally caught.
"If you locate Rivera please do not approach Rivera but call 911 immediately," the Vandalia Police Department said in a wanted alert on Saturday.
Rivera is now facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated sexual assault, and concealing a homicide, according to jail records.
He also has a past marked by sexual-misconduct allegations and was once charged with abusing a minor — a case that was dropped five months later.
While Kylie was still missing, her mother, Meghan Zeller, pleaded for help in finding her. Later, she shared the heartbreaking news that her daughter was "no longer with us."
"I was young and dumb... I thought I could trust somebody and now my baby is an Angel," she wrote online.
"I will not shut up or stop until my child gets justice! I will not stop until my other girls are home."
Family Devastated
Zeller did not have custody of Kylie or her two younger daughters, and Kylie's father had died from a drug overdose. The girls were instead staying with the grandmother of one of Kylie's sisters.
Locals said Rivera's home was in such poor condition — reportedly filled with dogs and their feces — that the girls stayed in an RV parked behind the house.
Despite her difficult upbringing, Kylie was known to do well in school and stay active in sports.
Rivera was booked into the county jail around 8 p.m. on Friday and is expected to appear in court later this week. The Illinois State Police continues to investigate the case.
