9-Year-Old Killed By Intruder In California (VIDEO)
Authorities have released the name of a young girl who died after being stabbed in her home in rural Northern California.
The county coroner identified the girl as 8-year-old Leila Fowler. Initially she was reported as being 9-years-old, but Coroner Kevin Raggio said Sunday she would have turned 9 in June.
Meanwhile, residents of the tiny community of Valley Springs in Calaveras County are being told to keep their doors locked as authorities continue to search for the little girl’s killer.
Sheriff’s officials say the girl was found by her brother after he encountered an intruder in the home around noon Saturday.
When the intruder ran away, the boy found his sister stabbed. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital
Valley Springs is about 60 miles southeast of Sacramento.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
Residents of rural Calaveras County were being told early Sunday to keep their doors locked as authorities continued the search for the killer of a 9-year-old girl.
Calaveras County deputies and law enforcement officials from nearby agencies were looking for a suspect after the girl was found stabbed in her Valley Springs home around noon Saturday.
The girl was found by her brother after he encountered an intruder in the home. When the intruder ran away, the boy found his sister stabbed. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital, officials said.
The name of the girl has not been released. Authorities spent Saturday night and Sunday morning in a door-to-door sweep of the area, including searching attics and checking storage sheds.
“It is a difficult area to search, it’s rural, remote,” sheriff’s Capt. Jim Macedo said.
Investigators were interviewing several people, but no suspects have been identified. Investigators were asking area residents to call authorities if they knew of anyone who may have unexplained injuries, or may have left the area unexpectedly after the girl was killed.
Valley Springs is a community of about 2,500 people in an unincorporated area of Calaveras County, about 60 miles southeast of Sacramento.
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Hurry, catch, and arrest this child killer. My prayers go out to her family.
TO FAMILY THAT I WANT TO SAY I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS OF YOUR LITTLE GIRL.I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER VERY MUCH.I WILL BE PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY EVERYDAY.YOUR DAUGTHER IS PRETTY YOUNG GIRL.I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE FAMILY.WELL TAKE CARE YOUR SELF.DONT FOR GET I WILL PRAY EVERYDA.