Remains found of missing girl

Remains found of missing girl

30 November 2006

By Danielle Seckler

Bear Valley News

BIG BEAR CITY- The only signs that Lillian Gill had lived in a house on San Anselmo Drive at Paradise Way, in Big Bear City, were the photographs, toys and clothes found stored in the garage. Lillian, a toddler, and her infant brother, James, were adopted by John and Sharon Michelle Gill in 1999. An anonymous call in 2002 to the San Bernardino County’s Child Protective Services started the search for the raven-haired Lillian. On Nov. 29, 2006 the search was ended, with the discovery of the remains of a small child found buried in the backyard of the former Gill residence.

Originally, when both parents were questioned and they were evasive and uncooperative. Sharon Gill stated that her daughter had been sent to school in Italy for treatment of her behavioral problems. Investigators checked with Interpol and the State Department and found that Lillian, then 4 years old, had not left the country. By February 2004, the residence had been searched twice to locate the child. Sharon Gill was arrested and arraigned for the murder of the child, even though no body had been found. She has been in custody since then, for the last few years, she has been at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Pursuant to a plea agreement with the prosecutor, Sharon Gill disclosed the where Lillian was buried and a search warrant was obtained, leading to the discovery of a plastic bag, with the badly decomposed body. The body was found in a shallow grave with the remains of a dead dog nearby. The remains have been taken to San Bernardino County Coroner’s office for formal identification and an autopsy.

The husband John Gill has not been arrested in this case. Originally, Sharon Gill is facing 25-years to life on the charges filed; however the terms of the plea agreement are unknown at this time.