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1 year ago
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A bipolar 11 year-old's mom fears she may have formed a suicide pact with her adult brother, who killed the youngster before shooting himself dead.
Lilea 'Lilly' Stolworthy, 11, was shot outside her home in Medical Lake, Washington, on Sunday with a gunshot wound to the head. Her brother Jordan Brownlow, 31, is suspected of killing her before turning the gun on himself.
Both had both attempted suicide multiple times in recent years, with the children's mother Darel Stolworthy raising fears they agreed to die together after Brownlow sent a final text to the family group chat reading: 'I'm sorry, please forgive me.'
Investigators have yet to comment further on the suicide-pact theory.
The troubled siblings were among 12 shared by Darel and her husband, four of whom are adopted including Lilly.
Lilea 'Lilly' Stolworthy, 11, (pictured) was shot dead last Sunday in Medical Lake, Washington, with it believed her adult brother Jordan Brownlow, 31, killed her before turning the gun on himself
Darel Stolworthy, who counts the siblings among 12 children she shares with her husband, four of whom are adopted including Lilly, revealed they had both suffered mental health issues in recent years before the tragedy
Lilly had ran away from home shortly before Thanksgiving, and her family decided to give some of her items to Brownlow to store temporarily, according to local outlet The Spokesman Review.
The child then returned home and wanted the items back, and went with Brownlow to his car to fetch them.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, she was seen being approached by her brother before witnesses heard gunshots, followed by a Ford Mustang fleeing the scene.
Brownlow was found roughly 20 minutes later slumped in his car with a pistol in his hand, and remained on life support for several days before he was pronounced dead on Wednesday. His organs have been donated.
When Lilly didn't return with her brother, Stolworthy went to find the duo before making the nightmarish discovery of her adoptive daughter shot in the street outside their home.
Despite her young age, Lilly had attempted suicide several times, and her mother said in their final conversation the child told her she wanted to 'be done' with life
Seen in an affidavit, the haunting final message Brownlow sent his family before the tragedy read: 'I'm sorry. Please forgive me'
The child was shot on Sunday and was rushed to hospital, but was tragically pronounced dead after succumbing to her injuries
Lilly and her brother were last seen together on Thanksgiving, before he allegedly shot her in the street outside their home before speeding away and shooting himself nearby
Lilly was rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries, and her grieving mother now says her daughter's ongoing battles with mental health may have led to the tragedy.
She told KHQ that her 11-year-old daughter had attempted suicide a number of times despite her young age, and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Although Lilly was on medication, her recovery had been hampered by a lack of counseling due to a shortage of appropriate facilities and the child's reluctance to commit to therapy.
In a heartbreaking admission, Stolworthy said her last conversation with her daughter also saw Lilly tell her she wanted to 'be done' with life.
She insisted that although the alleged killing carried out by her son was an awful thing to do, she believes that Brownlow saw his actions as a way to protect their family.
Although there are fears the siblings may have planned to commit the murder-suicide ahead of time, there has been no direct evidence released by authorities to support this.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
At a vigil for Lilly held on Thursday, Lilly's mother urged attendees to 'get help if you need it'
One attendee at the vigil described Lilly as 'so nice' and 'always so polite', and said the other kids in the neighborhood 'loved her'
A vigil for the 11-year-old was held Thursday evening in Medical Lake, where almost 100 people braved freezing temperatures to pay tribute to the child.
Stolworthy addressed the crowd at the solemn event, thanking them for showing support for her family and said the attendance showed the impact her daughter had at such a young age.
'As I look out around to all these faces that were a part of Lilly’s life, it brings me joy,' she said.
'Get help if you need it,' Stolworthy told the crowd. 'She would want you to be happy and healthy. Use her as an example to get help if you need it. Be kind to one another.'
Natasha Hargrave said her daughter and Lilly had been 'best friends since kindergarten', and despite her battles, she was 'just like any other kid.'
A great-grandmother, Patty Herker, said her relatives lived down the street from Lilly and 'the kids talked about her all the time.'
'She was just so nice,' she added at the vigil.
'I never had any issues. She was always so polite. The kids loved her... We are going to miss her a lot.'
If you or anyone you know needs help, you can reach Samaritans NYC at 212-673-3000 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386.
For confidential assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988 or click here.
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