Cook County prosecutors decline charges in March shooting death of 16-year-old Lilly Bova in unincorporated Glenview
Nearly three months after a 16-year-old girl was found shot and killed inside her home in unincorporated Glenview, Cook County prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they do not have enough evidence to file charges.
Lilly Bova, a sophomore at Glenbrook South High School, was found shot inside her apartment on March 28 in the 3600 block of South Salem Walk in unincorporated Glenview.
First responders performed CPR and took her to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where she was pronounced dead.
An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined she died of a gunshot wound to the head, but the manner of her death remains undetermined.
On Wednesday, the Cook County State's Attorney's office said they have informed the family that they do not have enough evidence to file criminal charges in Bova's death.
"The death of a young person is a profound tragedy, and we recognize the impact this loss has had on Lilly Bova's family, friends and the community," a state's attorney's spokesperson said in a statement. "Based on the evidence obtained by law enforcement during their investigation, we cannot meet our burden of proof, and at this time, we cannot bring criminal charges. This is a challenging case, with many questions remaining about how this horrific incident unfolded."
Bova's mother, Christine Maga, said she feels investigators are giving up on her daughter.
"I feel like everybody just erased March 28th off the calendar, and that it never happened, but we still have to live with it," Maga said. "To tell someone that this is undetermined or unknown, that's like sending you into insanity."
Bova's family has said Cook County Sheriff's police questioned a person of interest after the shooting, but when asked in April why there had not yet been any arrests, the sheriff's office said prosecutors did not believe there was enough evidence to file charges.
Sheriff's police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact detectives at 708-865-4896.
