HER MOTHER AND TWO BROTHERS FROZE TO DEATH AND SHE NEARLY DID TOO. I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT
SHE’S LOVED NOT JUST BY US, BUT
BY THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT SHE’S
GOT A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE
SURROUNDING HER NOW, THE GIRL
WHO SURVIVED BUT LOST.
EVERYTHING IS ON A PATH TOWARD
HEALING AND HOPE. WE’RE GLAD
YOU’RE WITH US HERE AT SIX. I’M
DEVIN SCILLIAN.
>> AND I’M CHRISTY MCDONALD IN
FOR KIMBERLY GILL TONIGHT. LILY
MILTON WAS THE ONLY SURVIVOR
AFTER HER MOTHER, MONICA
KENNEDY, TOLD HER AND HER TWO
BROTHERS TO LAY DOWN ON THE
FROZEN GROUND OF A FIELD IN
PONTIAC. LILY WAS HOSPITALIZED
WITH HYPOTHERMIA, BUT WAS SOON
RELEASED OUT.
>> SINCE THEN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
RALLYING AROUND HER. FOR
EXAMPLE, A GOFUNDME ME RAISED
MORE THAN $30,000. BUT A
DIFFERENT KIND OF SUPPORT CAME
FROM THE OAKLAND COUNTY
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. PAMELA
OSBORNE IS LIVE WITH US NOW. AND
THIS IS PERSONAL FOR THEM.
PAMELA DEVIN IT CERTAINLY IS.
>> AND YOU KNOW, THEIR FIRST
RESPONSIBILITY THAT DAY WAS TO
MAKE SURE THAT LILY WAS OKAY AND
IN A SAFE PLACE. THEY DID THAT
AND THEN THEY GOT TO THINKING,
HOW CAN WE GIVE HER A PIECE OF
HER CHILDHOOD BACK? WELL THEY
DID THAT, TOO, WITH AN ALL
EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO DISNEY.
THIS BEAUTIFUL SMILE BELONGS TO
THE GIRL WHO WALKED AWAY FROM
THE FIELD THAT FRIGID JANUARY
DAY IN PONTIAC.
>> IT WAS A PRETTY DEVASTATING
DAY FOR EVERYBODY.
>> DEPUTY ALI MICHAELS WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST ON THE SCENE AND
WAS THE ONE TO TELL TEN YEAR OLD
LILY THAT HER MOTHER AND
BROTHERS HAD PASSED.
>> I WILL NEVER FORGET HER
RESPONSE WAS, WELL, YOU CAN BE
MY FAMILY NOW. LILY’S FAMILY DID
GROW.
>> WE STILL PARENTS, CAPTAIN
ANDRE EWING REMEMBERS THE TEARS
HE SAW IN HIS DEPUTY’S EYES.
>> THAT WAS TOUGH BECAUSE THAT
LITTLE GIRL WAS SO BRAVE TO GO
THROUGH THAT HE DECIDED THEY HAD
TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE
LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD BECOME A
FIXTURE IN THEIR OWN HEARTS.
>> SO. SO THEY SENT HER HER
STEPSON, SISTER AND GUARDIANS TO
THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH
. AND MAGIC ENSUED, EVEN IF IT
WAS JUST FOR FIVE DAYS TO ALLOW
HER TO LAUGH, TO BE A KID.
>> THEY RODE THE RIDES, SPLASHED
IN THE POOL, POSED FOR PICTURES
AND PAMPERED THEMSELVES.
>> WHEN THEY GOT BACK, A
FAMILIAR FACE WAS THERE TO
WELCOME THEM HOME.
>> WHEN LILY SAW ME, SHE DROPPED
HER BAG AND RAN UP AND HUGGED
ME. AND THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST
AMAZING MOMENTS EVER BECAUSE SHE
STARTED CRYING AND THEY’VE KEPT
IN TOUCH.
>> BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
DEPUTY MICHAELS HAD SEEN LILY
SINCE JANUARY.
>> SHE’S IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE.
SHE’S DOING WELL. SHE’S AN
AMAZING HANDS. SO THAT’S THE
BEST OUTCOME THAT WE COULD HOPE
FOR AT THIS TIME. AND I KNOW
THAT THE MEMORIES THAT SHE GOT
FOR THAT DAY IS NEVER GOING TO
GO AWAY.
>> BUT WE WANT TO GIVE HER SOME
MEMORIES ALSO OF SOMETHING
BETTER. ANOTHER PART OF LIFE,
SOMETHING THAT SHE’LL ALSO ALSO
REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF HER
LIFE. AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT
THAT IS THE CASE FOR LILY.
>> YOU KNOW, THIS WAS REALLY A
GROUP EFFORT, 50 OR SO COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, EVEN DEPUTIES
THEMSELVES, HELPED FUND THIS
TRIP FOR LILY. SO GOOD TO HEAR
THAT SHE IS DOING WELL. AND THEY
SAY THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE
FOR HER IN ANY EVENT, THAT SHE
SHOULD NEED THEM. REPORTING LIVE
IN OAKLAND COUNTY TONIGHT, I’M
PAMELA OSBORNE, LOCAL 4. THAT’S
REALLY SPECIAL.
>> ALL RIGHT, PAMELA.
>> NEARLY A YEAR AND A HALF
AFTER ZION FOSTER’S
DISAPPEARANCE, HER COUSIN IS NOW
FACING A MURDER CHARGE. THERE IS
STILL A LOT THAT WE DON’T KNOW
ABOUT THIS, BUT TONIGHT, SOMEONE
IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE CASE AND
THAT ZION’S MOTHER, SHAWN LEY,
IS LIVE FOR US TONIGHT WITH HER
REACTION TO ALL OF THIS. SHAWN
KRISTI, THIS IS ZION’S MOM’S
FIRST REACTION TO THESE SURPRISE
MURDER CHARGES THAT CAME LATE
YESTERDAY.
>> SHE SAYS SHE HAD NOT HEARD AN
UPDATE FROM INVESTIGATORS FOR
SUCH A LONG TIME. THEN HER PHONE
RANG AND IT WAS POLICE AND
PROSECUTORS TELLING HER THAT
MURDER CHARGES WERE COMING.
>> AND IT’S BEEN ABOUT WHAT TWO,
526 DAYS SINCE SAW MY BABY,
CIERRA MILTON KNOWS EXACTLY HOW
MANY EXCRUCIATING DAYS HAVE
PASSED SINCE THE FINAL TIME SHE
SAW HER BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, ZION
.
>> SHE REPORTED ZION WAS MISSING
IN JANUARY OF 2022. THERE WERE
MASSIVE SEARCHES FOR HER AND
ZION’S COUSIN, JALEN BRAZIER WAS
RIGHT THERE HELPING WITH THOSE
SEARCHES. EVENTUALLY, BRAZIER
WAS CHARGED WITH LYING TO POLICE
. HE SAYS HE WAS LAST WITH ZION
, SAYS SHE SUDDENLY DIED AND HE
PUT HER BODY IN A DUMPSTER. LAST
SUMMER, DETROIT POLICE CONDUCTED
AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH FOR HER
REMAINS IN A LANDFILL. NOTHING
WAS FOUND TUESDAY. STUNNING NEWS
THAT BRAZIER IS NOW BEING
CHARGED WITH MURDERING ZION,
EVEN THOUGH HER REMAINS HAVE
NEVER BEEN FOUND. ZION’S MOM
REACTING TO THOSE CHARGES. I
DON’T HAVE ANY REMORSE FOR
WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS CASE.
>> I HOPE THAT THE MAXIMUM AND I
HAVE BEEN REALLY JUST TRYING TO
HOLD ON. YOU KNOW, SO I’M THIS
IS JUST THIS IS A GOOD THIS IS A
GOOD STEP FORWARD.
>> BACK HERE LIVE A GOOD STEP
FORWARD WITH ZION’S REMAINS
STILL NOT FOUND. WE WANTED TO
KNOW FROM ZION’S MOM WHAT SHE
KNOWS, WHAT NEW EVIDENCE THAT
INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO
GATHER THAT LED TO THESE MURDER
CHARGES, SECOND DEGREE MURDER
CHARGES. ZION’S MOM TELLS ME SHE
ASKED INVESTIGATOR, BUT THEY ARE
KEEPING THIS VERY CLOSE TO THE
VEST. SHE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING THAT’S
GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT IN
COURT. WE SPEAK TO SIERRA MILTON
OFTEN ABOUT THIS HORRIBLE CASE.
HER STRENGTH IS JUST AMAZING
EACH AND EVERY TIME. CHRISTINE
LEE, SEAN, A DIFFICULT JOURNEY
FOR SURE.
>> THANKS SO MUCH. A MAN WHO
SAYS A DEARBORN POLICE OFFICER
INJURED HIM AFTER HE ASKED THE
OFFICER FOR DIRECTIONS HAS WON A
9 MILLION LAWSUIT.
>> POLICE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE
SHOWS THE TWO ARGUING AND THEN
THINGS TURNING PHYSICAL. WHEN
LUTHER GONZALEZ HALL TRIED TO
LEAVE, WILL JONES LIVE WAS WILL
YOU WERE THERE WHEN GONZALEZ
SPOKE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
AND THE VERDICT WILL DEVIN, THE
JURY AWARDED LUTHER GONZALEZ
HALL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR
SUCH THINGS AS BATTERY, FALSE
ARREST AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS?
>> AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS
ALL STARTED WITH ASKING FOR
DIRECTIONS. I WAS HAPPY WITH IT
THAT PEOPLE I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW,
YOU KNOW, STUCK UP FOR ME. A
WAYNE COUNTY JURY RULING IN
FAVOR OF LUTHER GONZALEZ HALL IN
HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST A DEARBORN
POLICE OFFICER FOR VIOLATING HIS
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, AWARDING
HIM A $9.2 MILLION VERDICT AFTER
A SEVEN DAY TRIAL. THIS CASE IS
ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU
EXPECT FROM THE OFFICER WHEN YOU
CALL FOR HELP OR NEED HELP BACK
IN 2018? GONZALEZ HALL STOPPED
TO ASK THE DEARBORN POLICE
OFFICER FOR DIRECTIONS. HE
CLAIMS THE OFFICER WASN’T BEING
NICE, SO HE WENT INSIDE A FAST
FOOD RESTAURANT FOR DIRECTIONS.
THE OFFICER FOLLOWED HIM INSIDE
.
>> HE TOLD ME TO, LIKE, STAY,
LEAVE, SO I COULDN’T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO DO BECAUSE HE WAS BEING
REAL RUDE. HE WAS PUTTING ON HIS
GLOVES AND I GOT PRETTY SCARED.
SO I TRIED TO LEAVE THE
SITUATION AND IT JUST WENT
DOWNHILL FROM THERE.
>> BODY CAM FOOTAGE CAPTURED THE
EXCHANGE THAT GONZALEZ HALL WAS
CHARGED WITH RESISTING AND
OPPOSING A POLICE OFFICER. THE
CHARGES WERE LATER DISMISSED,
BUT HIS INJURIES REMAIN FROM
THAT DAY. GONZALEZ HALL SAYS HE
WILL WALK WITH THE LIMP FOR THE
REST OF HIS LIFE. JUST CHANGED
MY WHOLE LIFE BECAUSE I’M NOT
THE SAME AS I USED TO BE.
>> THIS CASE WAS ABOUT NOT JUST
HIS INJURY, BUT IT WAS ABOUT HIS
RIGHTS. BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RIGHT
TO WALK AWAY FROM AN OFFICER. IF
THEY’RE UNLAWFULLY INVESTIGATING
YOU.
>> GONZALEZ HALL SAYS HE REMAINS
UNEASY AROUND POLICE AFTER THIS
INCIDENT. HIS ATTORNEY SAYS
WITHOUT THAT BODY CAM VIDEO,
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE WON THIS
CASE. DEVIN CERTAINLY SEEMS
LIKELY WILL HAS THE DEARBORN
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD ANYTHING
TO SAY SINCE THE VERDICT WAS
REACHED?
>> WE REACHED OUT TO THE
DEARBORN POLICE CHIEF AND THE
CITY SPOKESPERSON, DEVIN.
>> WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK JUST
YET. YEAH ALL RIGHT, WILL.
>> WELL, TODAY MARKS A BIG
MOMENT FOR A GUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION EFFORT.
>> MAYOR DUGGAN ANNOUNCED BACK
IN MARCH IN HIS STATE OF THE
CITY ADDRESS.
>> SHOT STOPPERS IS AIMED AT
ADDRESSING SPECIFIC VIOLENT
CRIME HOTSPOTS ACROSS THE CITY,
THROUGH COMMUNITY PREVENTION
EFFORTS. GROUPS THAT ARE
APPROVED TO TAKE PART CAN EARN
GRANTS OF UP TO $700,000 IF THEY
ACHIEVE MEASURABLE CRIME
REDUCTIONS. SIX GROUPS HAVE NOW
BEEN CHOSEN. AND PAULA TUTMAN IS
LIVE WITH MORE ON WHO THEY ARE
AND HOW THEY PLAN TO ACHIEVE
THEIR GOALS. PAULA
>> HI, GUYS. YEAH, FIRST OF ALL,
I DO WANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
SHOTSPOTTER, WHICH IS THE DEVICE
THAT HEARS GUNSHOTS AND SHOT
STOPPER. THAT’S WHAT THIS IS
WHAT THIS ISN’T, IS IT IS NOT
VIGILANTE ISM. IT IS COMMUNITY
GROUPS WHO HAVE THEIR EARS TO
THE GROUND. THEY LIVE IN THESE
COMMUNITIES AND THEY’VE COME UP
WITH STRATEGIES INSIDE THEIR
COMMUNITIES TO ACTUALLY STOP
VIOLENCE AT ITS CORE, WE ARE
ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT KIND OF JOURNEY. THE
YELLOW CRIME SCENE TAPE THAT
STRETCHES THROUGH MANY
COMMUNITIES IN DETROIT HAS
BECOME LONG, PAINFUL AND
UNSUSTAINABLE.
>> OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
EXCELLENT AT GETTING THE GUNS
OUT OF THE SHOOTERS HANDS, BUT
WE’VE GOT TO GET THE ANGER OUT
OF THE SHOOTERS HEARTS.
>> IT’S CALLED CBI OR COMMUNITY
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION. 25
COMMUNITIES INSIDE THE CITY
LIMITS SUBMITTED IDEAS AND
STRATEGIES TO THE CITY. SIX ONE.
THESE INITIAL CONTRACT S
$175,000 AS A BASE BUDGET TO
EXECUTE THEIR PLANS OF ACTION
AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL. $87,500
IN ANY QUARTER. THEY REDUCE
VIOLENCE AND CRIME BY
OUTPERFORMING THE REST OF THE
CITY BY 20% POINTS BASED ON
DOCUMENTED CRIME STATS. YOU LOOK
AT THE REPORTS OF SHOOTINGS
TODAY, SOMEBODY THREW A DRINK IN
SOMEBODY’S FACE.
>> THREE PEOPLE ARE SHOT.
SOMEBODY CUT IN FRONT OF
SOMEBODY IN LINE AND SOMEBODY IS
DEAD. SO MUCH OF THIS IS ANGER
DRIVEN, BEEF DRIVEN.
>> SANDRA TURNER HANDY SAYS SHE
LIVES IN ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT
ZIP CODES IN THE CITY.
>> OUR BABIES ARE GROWING UP IN
THIS CITY THINKING THAT CRIME IS
A NORMAL PROCESS. NON-U.S AND
IT’S NOT THE PLAN.
>> HER COMMUNITY GROUP CAME UP
WITH GOES TO THE CORE OF
BEHAVIORS THAT BEGET BAD
BEHAVIORS, THAT BEGET VIOLENT
OUTCOMES.
>> WE HAVE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
THAT INCLUDE K THROUGH 12
EDUCATION ADOPT A LOT, REMOVING
BLIGHT OUT.
>> WE ARE NOW ACTUALLY ABLE TO
TEST IN OUR MOST VIOLENT
NEIGHBORHOOD THIS INTERIM NOTION
OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THIS
THIS POSITIVE INTERRUPTION TO
VIOLENCE.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT?
>> AND THIS IS A GRAND
EXPERIMENT BELIEVED TO BE THE
FIRST IN THE NATION BECAUSE OF
THE MATRIX IT USES TO ACTUALLY
MEASURE RESULTS. THAT’S WHAT
MAKES IT. THEY HAVE OTHER
INITIATIVES IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE NATION, BUT IT’S THAT MATRIX
THAT MEASURES RESULTS AND THEN
YOU GET MORE GRANT MONEY. IF YOU
GET THOSE RESULTS. A LOT OF
THESE COMMUNITIES, THESE
COMMUNITY, I SHOULD SAY,
COMMUNITY GROUPS, THEY’VE BEEN
IN EFFECT FOR A WHILE. THEY’RE
VERY, VERY ORGANIZED AND THEY’VE
BEEN USING A LOT OF THEIR OWN
FUNDS. BUT NOW THEY GET TO USE
GRANT MONEY, CITY MONEY TO TRY
TO GET THE WORK DONE. GUYS.
YEAH, I REMEMBER WHEN THIS WAS
ANNOUNCED BACK IN THE STATE OF
THE CITY ADDRESS AND WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT HOW FAST WOULD
THEY BE ABLE TO MOVE ON IT AND
THEY REALLY HAVE.
>> THIS WILL BE GOOD TO WATCH.
THANKS SO MUCH, PAULA. YEAH, YOU
BET.
>> WELL, AFTER YESTERDAY’S
REALLY ROLLICKING RAIN AND HAIL
AND WIND AND EVERYTHING, THEY’RE
ROLLICKING AS IT WAS. IT WAS.
BUT TODAY SMOOTHED OUT QUITE A
BIT BEFORE MORE TROUBLE COMING.
>> THAT’S RIGHT, BRIAN JOINS US
NOW. HE’S IN FOR KIM TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. WHAT ARE WE LOOKING
AT?
>> BRIAN CHRISTIE AND DEVIN?
TONIGHT, THE CALM BEFORE A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW AFTER
REALLY NOT A BAD DAY TODAY.
SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS OUTSIDE ON
TOWER CAM OVER DOWNTOWN DETROIT.
MOST EVERYONE MAKING IT INTO THE
70S, WORKING INTO THIS
AFTERNOON, 75 RIGHT NOW HERE IN
DETROIT, 74 WORKING INTO HOWELL,
72, WORKING INTO PONTIAC AND
ALSO 72 CHECKING IN WITH US DOWN
IN ADRIAN THIS EVENING. TAKE A
LOOK AT THE VISIBLE SATELLITE
HERE. IT REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB
SHOWING THOSE PUFFY CUMULUS
CLOUDS SCATTERED, MOVING FROM
THE NORTH OFF TO THE SOUTH AND
EAST THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE DAY
TODAY. IT’S GIVEN THOSE COTTON
BALL LIKE CLOUDS THAT WE’VE SEEN
OUTSIDE ALL DAY LONG. AND WE
WILL KEEP A LITTLE CLOUD COVER
UNDER THE FORECAST THROUGH THE
EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS. TONIGHT, 60 BY 10:00
TONIGHT, DOWN INTO THE 50S,
OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. AND WHILE THE
DRY WEATHER COMES TO AN END
TODAY, SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
TOMORROW BEFORE ANOTHER EXTENDED
DRY PERIOD HEADS OUR WAY THROUGH
THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK. I’LL TIME OUT WHEN THAT
UMBRELLA IS GOING TO BE NEEDED