Missing Bonney Lake teen knew people were looking for her, changed appearance, police say

News Tribune - 6/4/2018

June 04--A 15-year-old Bonney Lake girl who was missing for more than three weeks knew about the effort to find her and changed her appearance to remain hidden, police said Monday.

Lileana "Lily" Christopherson was spotted Sunday by a passerby at a Puyallup bus stop. Puyallup police picked her up and turned her over to Bonney Lake police.

She was alone at the time.

On Sunday evening, the teen was reunited with her family.

"She was aware of the massive effort to locate her and bring her home safely," Bonney Lake police spokesman Daron Wolschleger said.

Police declined to talk about specifics of what Christopherson went through and where she was after she disappeared May 9, citing the girl's age and the ongoing investigation.

Christopherson spent some of the time she was missing with Christopher Fitzpatrick, a 39-year-old sex offender who met up with the girl at the Federal Way Transit Center.

He was arrested in Lakewood May 27 and pleaded not guilty to first-degree kidnapping, promoting commercial sex abuse of a minor, providing drugs to a minor, possession of child pornography and two counts of third-degree child rape.

Maria Ann Counts, 29, pleaded not guilty to the same charges and is being held on $500,000 bail.

Fitzpatrick is being held on $2 million bail.

A third person was also arrested in connection with the case and is expected to appear in Pierce County Superior Court Monday afternoon.

Christopherson was last seen at her family's Bonney Lake home about 1 a.m.May 9. When her mother checked on her seven hours later, she was gone.

Almost immediately, the passwords to her social media accounts were changed.

An 18-year-old man who hung out with Christopherson that day told officers they met up with Fitzpatrick and Counts at the transit center, then went to an RV and did a synthetic hallucinogen together.

The man was then asked to leave, according to court documents.

Police determined the three went to a Tacoma home but by the time they searched the home, Christopherson, Fitzpatrick and Counts had been gone for a day or two, documents state.

Detectives then looked at a Tumwater hotel, where Counts was taken into custody.

Information and photos of Christopherson found on Counts' phone showed she and Fitzpatrick were prostitutin the teen, records state.

Fitzpatrick's criminal history includes two prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender, and a third warrant for the same charge was issued in 2016. He was initially convicted in 2003 of third-degree assault and felony harassment for repeatedly raping his then-wife. When he was arrested at a Fife motel, he was having sex with a 16-year-old girl tied to the bedposts, charging documents show.

"We're very excited about Lily's safe recovery and return to her family," Wolschleger said.

Volunteer search parties combed Pierce County for Christopherson and hung fliers up in an attempt to bring her home. A $10,000 reward was offered to anyone who had information that could bring her home safe.

Police said Monday they are not in charge of the reward, but they expect it will be given to the passerby who spotted Christopherson in Puyallup.

The family requested privacy Monday but the teen's mother, Lena Winter, told KIRO-7 she was thrilled her daughter is home again.

"I finally got to hold my baby girl in my arms today," she said. "No words could express my gratitude to everyone that has helped me find my daughter."

Stacia Glenn; 253-597-8653

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