Missing Person: Lilly Aramburo

Its amazing the lack of humanity in this world especially those who are marked as disposable! My thoughts are with all those people who are tiredlessly looking for the lost.

That story is disturbing. It's not about Lilly, it's about drug abuse. That's sad.
It should have been about the crime about her missing and no one caring. I don't care what she was into. She's not disposable.
It's never about the victim. I was disappointed.
I'm ashamed anyone would feel so little about a living breathing human being.
The story should have been about her being missing and how NO ONE has done ANYTHING!

I appreciate any story put out about Lilly's disappearance. She is NOT disposable... nor are any other of the thousands of missing in our country.

I'm proud that people have sought the internet and brought Lilly's and many other cases to light.

I hope that if you have a missing loved one that you will click on any of the links provided in this article to bring attention to their case.

If anyone has any information about the disappearance of Lilly please contact the authorities, or any one listed.

Let's bring this loved one home!!!

And they made fun of Nancy Reagan when she launched the "Just say no" to drugs campaign........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Say_No

As far as the Miami Police investigating the disappearance of Lilly, they have done absolutely nothing. Christians car could be found and analized for DNA evidence. He should be a number one suspect in this. Instead, they do nothing. It will take national tv getting involved before anything is done in this case. People need to report this case to the major crime shows and tv news programs. Do it Now for Lilly.

Im very happy to finally read an article about Lilly. The lack of follow up on behalf of the MDPD is replusive.

If they only have 4 or 5 dectives, but so many missing ppl a month, um......why don't the hire more? Thats a cop out to me.

I hope and pray that Lilly's family find the answers they need soon.

I think that the article, no matter your opionion of the content of it, was good. It brought attention to Lilly.

And may we all be as lucky as to have ppl like Janet in our lives.

Seems that the population self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) becomes more and more. According to my experience on the site **BisexualMingle dotcom** (a site for LGBT coming out, explore sexuality, etc.), there are about 150 members per day and they are very active. You can imagine.

Seems that the population self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) becomes more and more. According to my experience on the site *BisexualMingle dotcom* (a site for LGBT coming out, explore sexuality, etc.), there are about 150 members per day and they are very active. You can imagine.

I know that if Lilie was alive and well she would have contacted somebody. She would have contacted her mom, Christen, me, our friend Ralph, her friend Alex, Janet who she talked to me about often- SOMEONE! There are A LOT of us that care about her and she cares about us, and she also has a son she cares about, so she wouldn't have just run away and never looked back. Lilie just would NOT do that. Something has happened to her and it baffles me that no detective has REALLY tried to even speak with Christen, EJ, or me and we were all there at the apartment the night she took off, or any of her other friends that could offer some insight into who she was or where she could have gone. If they would have spoken to us we could have explained WHO our friend Lillie was and what she was like and maybe THEN they would be convinced to try and find her.

This article stresses too much Lilie's drug use and not enough her love for life and all its beauty. She and I were always very active and social. We might have gone through some serious drug phases, but even in the midst of those we would go out to the beach, a couple small bars we liked, art walks, drum circles, and shows. If Lilie wasn’t out and about you could find her sitting around making stuff and writing letters to friends. You ask anyone that really knew her, and they’ll tell you there just could never be another Lilie, and the world was so much richer for her being in it. So many people miss her and her mother and son need to know what happened.

Other than while she was dating Chris, the only time I knew her to just stay home and do drugs instead of going out with friends, was when she and David were living in Little Haiti close to Churchill's and they began smoking crack heavily because that was David's new favorite thing. (She had smoked a little before, but it was like she only ever did it when hanging out with her friends who were into that, that wasn’t her drug) She was very unhappy then and she was very unhappy when she and Christen were living together at his condo just smoking that shit all the time. That’s why I was asleep the night she left. I was upset at all of them for going out and getting that crap to bring back to the condo and smoke, after they promised they were quitting.

The Lilie that took off that night, the Lilie that was living with Christen all that time, that was not the Lilie I used to be best friends with and she and I were arguing a lot because of it. I don’t want her to be portrayed as some icky, irritable, druggie with no life left to her. Lilie was fun, and she was sweet. She was down-to-earth and optimistic. She was a dreamer. There was a lot of life in her and she had many passions, she was really struggling through a difficult time. Christen had enabled her to get so far into an addiction that she could never have gotten so immersed in alone. She never had that kind of money available to her before and she didn’t care to work for those drugs, but here was someone with both lots of money and a new appetite for hard drugs and the excitement of the lifestyle they entail. Lilie always strived to be a good human being. She and I would reflect on compassion, and friendship, and love, and art. She was so conflicted during that time. She told my mom she had to get away from Christen. I wish she had.

Christen was not a monster, though. He was a close friend of mine for a year before he was introduced to the drugs by an old friend of mine that we were trying to help with a place to stay on our couch (I had moved in with Christen around Jan of 2006). I had been clean for a really long time before that night and after a couple nights of “having fun” Christen and I said it was enough and my friend was asked to go. I continued living with Christen for a little while but moved out because we began arguing too much as it sometimes happens when you live with a close friend. After that, there were a few people that had fun getting Christen into this shit because they knew he would buy them theirs when they were hanging out. He really didn’t have a lot of friends he hung out with before he got into the drugs.

After Lilie had Palden she lived into a trailer in Hollywood that her mom bought her and David started coming around, still smoking crack, and bringing it to Lilie’s home. He and I really got into it one night because of that, a night that Christen had driven me up there to visit her. Then Christen started hanging out with both of them there and the next thing I heard was that they were ALL using again. Before that, Chris had gotten away from all those drugs and the people who were bringing it into his life. Lilie and Palden soon moved out of the trailer, and into Christen’s condo, as he always wanted to do whatever he could to help us out, but it didn’t help anything. They were really bad for each other. Christen had already gone through some pretty ugly phases with crack before he started getting into it again with David and Lilie and he had the money to afford both their habits. He was also struggling during that time. He was struggling with a lifestyle that was new to him and trying to maintain his career and all of his life from before all that, but neither could always be the priority.

At first I thought Lilie leaving Christen’s was a good thing even though he was upset and worried. Then she missed her court date concerning her son Palden later that week and I knew she hadn’t taken a step in the right direction, like by going to a friend and starting over on her own. After that, I think I hoped she just went to Overtown and was binging because at least she’d be okay. Then a month went by and I didn’t know what to think but I always knew she hadn’t killed herself. I just know she didn’t. Now I’m afraid that after she left she came across the wrong person. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive, but I know she isn’t well. It’s been more than a year with no contact. And police have done nothing, police have not even called me back. So of course nothing has ever been found. It just makes me so damn mad.

I can’t be more concise. This comment is a long one, because I think everything I have mentioned is crucial.

I’m sorry, one more thing I must comment on, “Every detective under Bollinger-Heller's command has put in hours trying to find Lilly. "We have followed up on every lead on her," the captain continues, adding that the domestic crimes bureau has received tips regarding sightings of Lilly alive.” YEAH FREAKING RIGHT! HOW CAN HE SAY THEY’VE FOLLOWED UP ON ANYTHING?! When they haven’t even spoken to all three of us that were THERE that night?? According to this, they spoke only to Christen, and only once, and it was by phone! I guess with all their other cases and their busy schedules, interviewing EJ and I when that night was still fresh in our minds was easy to overlook, right?

Alvarado did a nice drug addiction article here using a young mother's missing person case as the headline.

I hope people look past the drug usage and this article makes them want to ask questions about Lilly's disappearance. I hope they demand answers from all parties involved as to what occured the night she disappeared. And why she hasn't been found.

What a well written article. My heart breaks for Lilly's mother and baby boy. The Police need to step this investigation up and find out what really happened to Lilly.

Thank you for writing this article. Very informative piece! Lilly needs to be found and I am sure this will help in that mission. Bless you!

Regardless of her drug use, Lily is a human being who deserves justice. It is a shame that the police department regards her as a nobody, her disappearance not worth looking into. The obvious person of interest has been spoken to 1 time...that's not going to bring her home. The MDPD needs to wake up and do its job...my thoughts and prayers are with Lilly and her family & friends...hopefully, her family will get the answers they need and deserve.

Miami residents, wake up!! This could be your child or loved one!!

First of all, let me start by thanking Frank for writing this article. It's about time the Miami Community knows what's going on. Thank you for including the links to some of my favorite organizations such as Jurorthirteen and Help Find The Missing. They are extremely helpful in raising awareness for missing loved ones and in lending support to the families. There is help out there, it's just a matter of finding it. Now, let me tell you about Lilly.

Lilly DID NOT WALK OUT OF THAT CONDO. Let's look at the facts about this so-called "investigation":

More than 15 months have gone by and MDPD have yet to talk to Kelly (a key witness) and the only contact they've had with Christen is a few words over the phone (besides the initial report). This is coming from Christen himself.

And this is what Kelly has to say:
"HOW CAN HE SAY THEY’VE FOLLOWED UP ON ANYTHING?! When they haven’t even spoken to all three of us that were THERE that night?? According to this, they spoke only to Christen, and only once, and it was by phone! I guess with all their other cases and their busy schedules, interviewing EJ and I when that night was still fresh in our minds was easy to overlook, right?"

Miami Dade Police, despite constant pressure, haven't even BEGUN this investigation! How can they say Lilly's case is "high priority" when they never questioned the people that were in the apartment when she was last seen alive? Her case is now cold BECAUSE OF THEM!! Important evidence is now gone BECAUSE OF THEM.

This is why we need the support and HELP of MIAMI RESIDENTS WHO ARE OUTRAGED TO STAND UP TO THIS INJUSTICE. NO HUMAN BEING DESERVES THIS! All human life is precious. How dare the police choose who they want to protect and serve. What an absolute lack of humanity.

Let me clear something up right now. Lilly didn't just "begin using crack again" as stated in the article. Christen was the one who couldn't live without it, the one with the endless appetite for shooting up crack. He made it IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER to stay clean. He knew this was the best way to control her. An important thing to note is that Lilly was clean in St Lukes until Christen picked her up for what turned out to be her LAST court appearance related to her baby on May 29th, 2007, just a few short days before she "vanished". We don't know what happened that day on the way to court. Lilly ADAMANTLY denied using any drugs that day and was clean the entire time while in treatment. Her state of mind was hopeful and very positive as expressed in her journals. She was determined to get her life together and get her baby back. Everything was fine until that final day when Christen picked her up that morning for court. Is it possible that he may have drugged her without her knowledge? Some people seem to think so. Just listen to the statement made by his neighbor which spoke to Lilly just days before she was never to be seen again -

"She complained that everyone in Christen's apartment was smoking crack, and she blamed him for making her smoke too. That was the last time I saw her." She wasn't the only person Lilly complained to about Christen. Lilly called several people in those last days following her court appearance- begging to be picked up from Christen's apartment because she was in FEAR for HER LIFE. Needless to say, nobody came to her rescue.

To Christen - Your behavior says it all.
All of a sudden you say she was wearing a long nightgown?? Funny, that's not what you told Lucely and I. Why haven't you kept your appointment to take a polygraph? At the very least you'd be making some kind of an effort. If you loved Lilly so much then why is it you never helped us find her? You never even took our phone calls! Why did you refuse to cooperated with Lucely in getting her phone records released? Why did it take weeks of begging to get Lilly's belongings back - the few that you were kind enough to return? You know, you really should return every last bit of Lilly's things to her mother and son. How vile the way you've treated her things like garbage all thrown about in your filthy apartment. Not to mention all the baby's things you held back for so long. Why has your version of events changed so many times? Why did you threaten Lilly with having her child taken away? Oh wait, that wasn't a threat you actually did! Why didn't you file an insurance claim when you totaled your SUV? Which police agency took the report? and when? I wonder why your properties hold such bad memories for you. "Part of me wanted to save her," Christen explains. "But it turned out I really wasn't the right person to help her out because we both were so messed up on drugs."

You didn't have to save her. All you had to do was not harm her. You know very well Lilly was clean for some time until you picked her up for court and took her back to your house where she disappeared. All you had to do was take her back to her mother's house or try to get her into another program. But instead you chose to buy a shitload of drugs and feed it to her. Did her tiny body give out after being clean all that time? You lost your temper and snapped??
"Christen didn't know how to control his temper. After he did drugs, he would blow up." (That's not my quote, that's Kelly's)

If you loved her so much why did you take her from her home in Hollywood where she was safe and clean and happy with her baby only to bring her into your depraved lifestyle of constant partying and smoking crack? Is that what you consider love?

"I'm only guilty of loving that girl," he says. "To have someone blatantly accuse me of harming her is horrible."
Really, Christen? Then prove it. Take the lie detector test. Cooperate with the investigation. Better yet, contact me directly. You have my contact info.

If you take the polygraph and I'm wrong, I'll eat my words and apologize. In fact, I'll come out publicly to the New Times. I just want to find Lilly. This nightmare and injustice has gone on way too long.

Qudos to those who look for those unfortunate ones.

Why? but Why would anyone get involved with crack and coke?? People, including those profiled must accept responsability for their actions.

I do indeed understand the familys& friends pain,and yes Christian should of been question and all of you staying in the condo that night.But I also know that if Lilly really wanted out of that life style the first thing you learn in these programes is to dissconnect your self from friends that do it and she didnt,that shows me that even after she had her child she was still getting high she had a choice to change her life style, I know she wanted to probley quit in her mind but her heart was not true!All of you that got high with her is easy to point fingers but you all are also responsable for what has happened,she might of had a lot of life in her as you say but she did not apperchiate the meanning of LIFE,Ireally feel horriable for her child and mother.I agree with the comment if we only have 4-6 detective and 1000,of people missing a month something is really wrong in the MDPD.As for Chritian God knows the truth alot in ur story is just right!

Finally! This case is getting the attention it deserves! The sad thing is that if it weren't for Janet working tirelessly to find Lily & bring this case to the media's attention it would probably have been forgotten by now; filed away in Det. Mancha's office at the MDPD.
What happened to this girl? There has to be an answer to that question & it's the job of the police to find that answer! Why is it that some cases get all the attention & others do not? If money & status are the reason- that's WRONG!! Everyone is important, regardless of their background. They are still someone's child, mother, friend- a fellow human being.
If the MDPD can't handle their workload then something has to be done about that- more detectives need to be hired, bad detectives need to be fired..whatever it takes to get these cases solved!
The bottom line is that it's unacceptable that more than a year has gone by & this is the first time most people are hearing about Lily's disappearance. I hope that this article will help put an end to the injustice of this case & many like it. Until then, I'll continue to pray that the day will soon arrive when we'll know what happened to Lily because the answer to that question is LONG overdue!

Finally someone in Miami told Lilly's story! There have been so many people and websites working along with Janet to bring this case to the forefront in Miami. Thankfully, now Miami is waking up to the fact that their police department has tried to sidestep being as involved as they should with this case.

Please, Miami, keep the pressure on for a truthful investigation of what happened to Lilly. I never knew Lilly, only through Janet, who has helped all of us know Lilly as a kind human being which has been validated by what Kelly Starling had to say about her in her comments above.

It doesn't matter what the character of a missing person might be, they are still missing and their families deserve the same treatment and efforts by police as anyone else. One thing that has become obvious is that all missing persons are not created equal in the eyes of law enforcement and the mainstream media.

Keep getting the word out and Lilly's picture so she can be found and brought home to the family and son who love her no matter what she has done. She deserves to be found!

Of course, Since Lily's family aren't wealthy and there's not a $500.000 reward for information on her whereabouts. Why were the JonBenet Ramsey, Laci Peterson and Natalee Holloway cases so over-reported? Simple, their families had money and were able to pressure the police thanks to the media. Now if all women and girls who disappeared had the same advantages maybe more cases could be solved and give closure to relatives.

Unfortunately, to law enforcement Lilly is just a runaway druggie, not a human being. Let's find out what Christen really has to hide. Let's really look for Lilly and bring closure to this bad dream. Let's put pressure on law enforcement to make a real effort to get to the truth. Christen has several court dates comming up. He has been in the system for years now. Let's use that system to pressure him to come clean. The system has given him to many chances and it may have cost someone their life.

I thinks its unfortunate that the MDPD with the amount of money that is alloted to them, can only assign 3-4 detectives to missing persons. Wonder why they are so resistant to classify her case as a murder. Could it be statistics? or could it be just shear incompetence. Either way its inexcusable and should be punishable. The only comment by Miami Dade Poilice Dept is that she was a priority case!! Wow! Well Id hate to see what its like at the bottom of their "priority" list. I think people should write to every one they can news outlets, print, politicians, EVERYONE! We should not stand up for this injustice. This could be my daughter, or my mother that the MDPD disregarded like a piece of trash. Why in the world have the Miami Dade Police Department NOT interviewed this Christian Pacheco and Kelly Starling characters. THEY ARE ASKING TO BE INTERVIEWED IT SAYS IN THIS PIECE. WTF is going on in this town? Are people not outraged at the shear lack of incompetency and callousness.

And dont get me started on her "friend" kelly. With a friend like that its no wonder this poor girl had it rough. Her friend is missing and in the same breath says she loves her and then smears her. What is it these people are hiding? something and some people need to start rattling some cages in this town .

A powerful message of true love ,so powerful as the true source of life ,to my lilly the one and only ,so special so unique ! ,just thinking of your laugh and your beautiful smile makes me keep this faith that I have never lost, even at the worst times I BELIVE YOU ARE COMING HOME ,I'm letting Palden hair grow ,so you can see his beautiful golden curls,he says ,hi mami lilly almost every morning when he sees your picture ,except when he is in a bad mood..We are waiting for you lilly,no matter what ,we'll wait for you here or when we go on spirit,we will see you again ,and baby just close your eyes and see our arms extended full of unconditional love ,the mysterious ways of God are working( tamis)please come home . MOM

I am so disgusted by the MDPD. it's true. if you need more help hire it! What the hell do we pay taxes for?! Lily is a human being and deserves the kind of help any one of those officers would give their daughter! It's unfortunate the amount of people who are missing but with a proper thorough investigation something has got to give. It doesnt seem that MDPD is going above and beyond, but simply going through the motions and just putting forth the least accepted effort because 'it's their job' what a shame. and shame one the MDPD.

Prayers that you find your Lily.

I'm in the same situation as Lilly's family. My sister Osilia Rodriguez also missing from Miami near Lilly's area (20st nw 20 Ave)and very similar to Lilly's character. Detectives on the case, shouldnt be called detectives. No one has done anything and important rumors are being disregarded and no one is being investigated. The case is getting older and a criminal is loose on the streets. While our families suffer and these kids are being raised without their mothers. I feel for Lilly's family and pray that all these missing people come back home safe. My prayers are with you all...

Yesterday would have been Lily's 25th birthday. We had a birthday vigil in her honor at the beach. It was a very touching tribute. We are deeply saddened that after all this time, still no answers.

But one thing I do know, Christen Pacheco, was telling the truth. I apologized to him profusely after discovering that I was misled. I wrote an entire post about it on my blog.
http://justiceinmiami.blogspot.com/

Thanks to everyone who left a comment. I appreciate everyone's views and opinions. I urge anyone who would like to help, to contact me. You can help in so many different ways to help get Lilly's story out.

We desperately need tips, if anyone knows anything, please please leave a tip, you can be anonymous.

Lilly must be found. She deserves a proper burial.

If there are others out there experiencing the loss of a missing loved one, please contact me if you'd like my help. Or leave a comment on my blog http://justiceinmiami.blogspot.com/

I knew Lily.
SHE WAS NOT LIKE ALL THE REST, at all. In so many ways, she wished to dream like a child, live free from sadness, and was just a girl in pursuit of finding the right way to live with herself. She really was a good person, differnt from the rest. Lily is special. It still baffles my mind to think that it had to happen to her?? It could have been any one of us, anybody. Why Lily ? She was too beautiful for this world.

Please support a National Protocol for Missing & Unidentified Persons - vote for it on change.org (Copy & Paste the link below to your browser or visit the blog)
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/establish_national_protocol_in_missing_and_unidentified_person_cases

AMBER: You're absolutely right, Lily was not like the rest. As busy & flawed as I am, I probably wouldn't have put so much effort & time, had it been someone else. There's not a day I don't think of her & do something in her name. Lily was indeed too beautiful for this world. And if I had more support we'd find her a lot sooner. No one is helping me, no organization or search team, nada. There's still so much work to do...

ODALYS: Thanks for commenting and many thanks for your prayers=) I'm very sorry about your sister and the bureaucracy you're dealing with too. Getting detectives to do their jobs shouldn't be so difficult. But if families affected by this work together, we can make the necessary changes in the way missing person cases are handled. Also, I did a Google search of your sister's name and nothing came up for Osilia Rodriguez. When did she go missing & do you have flyers? I'd like to help. Your sister needs to be found. Please contact me.

Janet Forte
Social Media Strategist & Advocate for Missing Persons
Site http://justiceinmiami.blogspot.com/
Site http://www.subliminalpixels.com/
Chat: Google Talk: janet.forte