Erika Hill, 15, was asphyxiated after being beaten, stabbed, and set on fire by her adoptive mother.
Eight years later, Erika’s remains were identified. Her adoptive mother, Taylin Hill of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was convicted of her death.
On February 26, 2007, two men who had been driving in an alleyway in Gary, Indiana, discovered the burned body of a girl.
The medical examiner determined the victim was a 15-year-old female who had experienced long-term child abuse.
She had 170 different scars on her body. Some teeth were forcibly removed, she was starved, stabbed, and her remains were set on fire.
Her official cause of death was asphyxiation; a cloth was found in her mouth. Her identity could not be determined; she was temporarily named the Lake County Jane Doe.
In August 2015, a tip came in from Kara Hill, who believed the victim was her cousin, Erika Hill. Kara told investigators her mother (Taylin Hill) was abusive.
She said Taylin whipped Erika, hit her with objects, including a hammer, and starved her. Kara’s childhood had been so traumatic, she had been working with a therapist who had encouraged her to reach out to investigators regarding Erika Hill’s identity.
Kiara Hill stated, in February 2007, Taylin called her children to her apartment. Erika was deceased on the floor.
Taylin made her children put Erika’s body in garbage bags and take her to the garage.
As Erika’s body decomposed, Taylin made her children drive Erika’s remains to an underpass, where they dumped Erika. Taylin pulled out Erika’s teeth and set her on fire.
Taylin had second thoughts, so they loaded Erika’s body back into the van and drove to Gary, Indiana, where they left her in the garage.
On the drive back to her home in, Taylin threatened her children to never speak about what happened.
Due to her own abusive childhood, Kiara kept her silence for eight years before she found the courage to make the telephone call.
Taylin Hill was charged with first-degree reckless homicide plus six other child abuse charges. She pleaded guilty in July 2016.
A judge sentenced her to 20 years. Her children, including Kiara, received no charges because of duress during the crime.
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