Crime

Report: Illinois Neighbor Saw Woman Shoot at Baby

Report: Illinois Neighbor Saw Woman Shoot at Baby

EMINGTON, Ill. (AP) — A neighbor said Saturday she saw an Illinois woman shoot at her 10-month-old baby before apparently killing herself.

Authorities have said five people, including two children and a baby, were killed in a murder-suicide, but they haven’t identified the shooter. The bodies were found Friday in Emington, a small farming community about 80 miles southwest of Chicago.

Neighbor Annelise Fiedler told The Associated Press that she heard a round of shots Friday afternoon and ran outside to her backyard.

She saw 30-year-old Sara McMeen in the next yard over hovering over her baby as if she’d dropped her. Fiedler asked McMeen if everything was alright, and “she looked at me and said, ‘No, everything is not alright.”

McMeen fired a shot at the infant, “and then I just ran,” said Fiedler, a town trustee. Fiedler said she didn’t see or hear what happened after that, and she didn’t see any of the other victims.

Report: Illinois Neighbor Saw Woman Shoot at Baby

Along with McMeen, Livingston County coroner Michael Burke identified them as 29-year-old Daniel Warren, 8-year-old Skyler Lemke, 7-year-old Ian Lemke and 10-month-old Maggie Warren.

Livingston County Sheriff Martin Meredith said all the children belonged to Sara McMeen, and he described Daniel Warren as her live-in boyfriend.

McMeen’s mother, Cynthia McMeen, of nearby Dwight, issued a statement on behalf of her family asking for prayers and privacy.

“The family is drawing together during this time, relying on God, and grieving,” it said. “They would ask for your prayers for all the families involved and would like their privacy to be honored.”

Fiedler said she heard a man and woman fighting inside the home several times over the past few months. She said the couple kept “very much to themselves.”

Neighbor Dave Melton said he returned home after receiving a frantic call from his wife, who yelled into the phone, “the kids are dead.” From his house, he could see Ian Lemke’s body drooped over the stairs leading up to the home, and the bodies of Sara McMeen and the older daughter about 10 feet away in the backyard.

“I stood here for a while like, this ain’t happening,” Melton said.

Meredith said a semiautomatic pistol was recovered at the scene. The sheriff, a father in his first year in office, called the situation “very gut-wrenching.”

Neighbors have said the family moved to Emington recently. They were living in a rented house, and a woman who said her brother-in-law owned it declined, when contacted by telephone, to comment until she talked to him.

Meredith said the two older children attended school in nearby Saunemin, where Skyler was in second grade and Ian was in first grade. The children were well-known in the neighborhood, but the adults were not.

Beth Barcikowski, who lives across the street, said her own children used to play with the Lemkes and Skyler would come to their home before and after getting on the school bus.

She’s haunted by the idea that the little girl was shot just as she got home from school.

“Just wishing she would’ve come here first,” Barcikowski said.

____

Associated Press writer Karen Hawkins contributed to this report.

Comments (61)

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  • SilentReader
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:18pm

    Terrible!

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • LB
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:09pm

    Meth not even once!!!!!!!

    Report Post » LB  
  • don young
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:05pm

    People need to say something if they see people they know not acting right before they do crazy things.

    Report Post »  
    • Tarayya
      Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:57am

      Just exactly what kind of actions would qualify as “not acting right before they do crazy things?“ I see people ”not acting right” every day, but that does not mean they are harming anyone or are going to do so. Many terrible, unbelievable things happen in families that seem normal. Maybe we should just have everyone checked out…just in case someone might do something really bad sometime?

      A tragedy happens and the first thing people think in a knee-jerk reaction is that there should be a another law or we should have more government intervention. That is why we are in the mess we are with an over-sized government on which we are too dependent.

      Stop looking to the government to make things rights. Imagine how some kind neighbors going over to give cookies and offer friendship might have changed the course of events for this family.

      Have you given some cookies to your neighbors lately? Good time of year to break the ice.

      Report Post »  
  • omgfolks
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:48pm

    Oh my god! What a tragic loss of life,!!!!! This is a very sad time for all family member far and near. May God comfort you in this time of need and grant you peace.

    Report Post »  
    • Vickie Dhaene
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:31pm

      Very well said.
      Amen

      Report Post »  
    • savethenation
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 4:43pm

      Problem with that is you’re leaving that opinion to someone who judges on their own basis of what is abnormal etc. Sometimes people maybe arguing but that doesn’t mean they will go to extremes as this sad situation! Sometimes a person can appear to be “normal” for lack of a better word, and still do the unexpected. So your method would be invasive and presumptuous. What then? Report something that appears strange (To You) to the police? 3/4s of the country would be in jail!

      Report Post »  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:46pm

    Expect to see a lot more of this folks.. the world has gone mad.. and Lucifer is grabbing anyone he can! God help us!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • lukerw
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:59pm

      You cannot help anyone… especially After the Fact — Protect yourself and your own… and gather like minded people as contacts! This World going to get ugly!

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • 762x51
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:40pm

    You are pure filth.

    Report Post »  
  • RightInSoManyWays
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:25pm

    If you want to kill yourself just efffing do it, don’t take people with you. The world is better off without this sick @#$%&, it‘s just sad those poor kids won’t have a chance to be something better.

    Report Post »  
    • 762x51
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:39pm

      So true. How news stories do we see where the criminal could have saved everybody a lot of trouble by just killing themselves.

      Report Post »  
    • FireWolf
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 10:30pm

      Suicide isn’t the lesson you need to be teaching your children. Even if you have a broken home. Just as murder/suicide isn’t a lesson to teach survivors either. Too many people are hurting, and the Christmas season seems to pull out the worst in people‘s ideals that life isn’t going to get any better.

      I agree with a previous commenter about these people “playing family” and believe that shacking up is a learned trait too.

      Report Post »  
  • RodT82721
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 11:46am

    I fear this how our culture of hate is manifesting itself.
    We have leaders that enjoy using class warfare to keep people all worked up and envious of others.
    All the hate that is on display, in all these so-called protesters, that have no real idea why they are protesting. It’s just hate personified! Mad at the unknown man!
    Is it any wonder we are seeing more and more of these types of tragic events?
    The racial hate, or the ridicule of someone like Tim Tebow, because he doesn’t hate, by the media!
    Our leaders want to remove any morality or religion from our schools and yet they willingly embrace anything the loony left comes up with.

    Report Post »  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 11:41am

    Your a moron if you ask me.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • tranymike
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 10:48am

    i would have ran in the house and got my gun and i would have been the one that shot her. i would not run in and call my wife. say for some dumb a$$ reason you don’t have a gun call 911. are people realy that screwed up. the things people do just sickings me.

    Report Post » tranymike  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 9:11am

    Something was seriously wrong, the man, not the kid‘s father probably didn’t have a clue what he was living with. My very first guess is that post partum depression had something to do with this, and or severe mental illness. I am sure it will all come out eventually.Meanwhile innocent children are dead and parents, grandparents and other family are left to try to figure out what they might have done differently to stop this. They will forever ask questions with no answers. God bless them all.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:42am

    Let water find it’s own level… and the sewer take away the dregs!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • nelbert
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 11:31am

      My, what self-righteous pompous a$$ you are.
      I guess you’re intimately familiar with the sewer, though.
      Cretin

      Report Post » nelbert  
    • Fly on the Wall
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:44pm

      Sad statement. The kids were innocent and didn’t deserve this even if their mom had problems of some sort.

      Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 1:11pm

      The “Save The Children” Web Site… is linked off the Democrat Party site!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • nelbert
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 6:47pm

      ?!?
      And how on Earth would the political leanings of the Save The Children site have to do with the tragic deaths of the children here? Or are you just being a troll?

      Report Post » nelbert  
  • Walkabout
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:15am

    Donttredonme

    So you followed this woman around for the past few years & know all about her church attendance or lack thereof. Maybe if you know her life’s history, you should be reported for not notifying authorities that she need help. Or maybe you are a loathsome troll.

    Report Post »  
  • idarusskie
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:53am

    Obviously this mother had mental problems. Shacks up with a boyfriend to compound her problems and gets another kid.

    Report Post »  
  • louise
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:39am

    Amos 8:11,12

    Report Post » louise  
  • Choctaw25
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:38am

    What a lame liberal comment. The comment is as lame as the pretense that they are a member of the TeaParty.

    Report Post » Choctaw25  
  • missaudrey
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:32am

    So Feidler, a town trustee, SAW her shot the baby and ran and TOLD NO ONE? Melton’s wife calls HIM HOME before authorities are called!!!!??? What is wrong with this picture on soooo many levels!

    Report Post »  
    • Maine932
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:45am

      Let me guess, it‘s Bush’s fault.

      Report Post » Maine932  
    • dontbotherme
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 2:41pm

      Missaudrey – I re-read the story. Someone called the police. It doesn’t say who, unless I missed it. I am not angry with any of the neighbors. I pity the shooter & pray for the family.

      Report Post »  
  • hogtrashhd
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 6:36am

    Eyes are the window into the soul… this woman was one mean a$$wipe..she was ugly inside and out and she knew it..

    Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:12am

      I figure her boyfriend was going to leave her,so she pulled a “Medea” & then some. In one version of the Greek myth, Medea kills the 2 children she had with Jason because he left her for another woman. This woman instead of riding off into the sunset kills everyone including herself.

      This story deserves to be followed. It will be reported as a gun crime. If this woman was distraught as I think she was, she was going to kill the whole family gun or no gun. She would or could have used poison almost as easily. The only way to prevent this crime would be to fix the familial relationships.

      Report Post »  
    • NatalieF
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:08pm

      In my opinion, they both look high on drugs in the picture posted here.

      Report Post » NatalieF  
  • NealPatrick
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 6:35am

    Disgusting comment.

    Report Post »  
  • AmericanPatriot4God
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 5:35am

    DONTTREDONME you are absolutely disgusting. Have you no soul? You obviously know nothing about Christianity. From your past posts on your profile you know nothing about anything. All you seem to know is hate. I feel sorry for you and pray may God bless you.

    This story physically makes me sick. Proof evil exists.

    Report Post »  
  • sissykatz
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 3:51am

    What a horrible story… these poor children… May they all rest
    in God’s arms. So very sad.

    Report Post »  
  • whatthecrazy
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 3:31am

    Ok now im sick at my stomach…………………………

    Report Post »  
  • MrMagoo
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 3:18am

    My wife me honest.

    Report Post » MrMagoo  
  • jimmiedoss
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 3:05am

    I am absolutely blown away by this story, it saddens me to think about the loss of life! I feel awful for the kids, what possess someone to do something so horrific!

    Report Post » jimmiedoss  
    • piper60
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:31am

      A possible anwer to your question, would be either Satan, or one of his minions.

      Report Post » piper60  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 11:06am

      My Bible talks about this crazy idea of man’s free will. Go figure.
      The ‘devil made me do it’ routine is one more attempt to rationalize and deflect personal responsibility.
      I’d lay money this chick had some MI diagnosis… she has the dead-eyed, unhealthy look of a person that may have presented with schizoaffective disorder. And even that label would not negate the fact this woman owns this act of murder, madness and betrayal.
      Blaming God or the devil… that’s the weak domain of pseudo lawyers and mystics.

      Report Post »  
  • Joey8
    Posted on December 18, 2011 at 2:33am

    I just hope if I ever saw someone shooting at children I wouldn’t run the other way

    Report Post »  
    • MOLLYPITCHER
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:07am

      joey 8
      I agree with you, but I am afraid that fear might take over. Although, it is a good idea to always carry a gun. Perhaps then, someones life might be saved.
      I don’t blame the woman for running, I’ve never been in her situation, she must have been terrified. Just a horrible thing. These little ones rest in the arms of Jesus this morning. My prayers are with this family.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:01am

      And if she didn’t have a gun herself, what was she supposed to do? Take her down with dirty looks? They found the man dead, too. She was the last one standing, so she shot the boyfriend before all the children and herself.

      Report Post »  
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