The frantic search for a missing Illinois junior high student turned into a devastating criminal investigation after authorities discovered the 14-year-old dead inside an RV.
Kylie Toberman had last been seen Thursday night around 9 p.m. in Vandalia, according to family members.
When the teen failed to reappear by the next morning, relatives reported her missing at about 6:30 a.m., describing her as wearing a red sweatshirt and black leggings.
Officials and volunteers began a wide search across the area that lasted for hours.
Authorities confirmed that the tragic discovery occurred around 2:20 p.m. Friday, when search teams located Kylie’s body inside an RV on the same property where she had been staying.
Law enforcement quickly turned their attention to her step uncle, 43-year-old Arnold Barry Rivera, who had been acting as her caretaker at the time the teen disappeared.
Officers located him shortly after Kylie was found, but the arrest followed a brief pursuit on foot in which Rivera attempted to force his way into several nearby residences, according to police.
Vandalia Police had issued an alert earlier, urging residents to contact emergency services immediately if they spotted Rivera.
“If you locate Rivera please do not approach Rivera but call 911 immediately,” the department said in the notice.
Authorities took him into custody Friday afternoon and jail records show he was charged with first degree murder, aggravated sexual assault, and concealing a homicide.
Records also reveal that Rivera’s past includes earlier accusations of sex crimes, including a prior allegation involving a minor that was later dismissed.
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Additional records list burglary and criminal sexual abuse charges from 2000 that involved a child between the ages of 9 and 16.
Kylie’s mother, Megan Zeller, had been pleading publicly for help finding her daughter during the search.
Soon after officials confirmed the teen had died, she posted a wrenching update saying Kylie was “no longer with us.”
Zeller shared that she regretted placing trust in someone who had access to her daughter.
“I was young and dumb… I thought I could trust somebody and now my baby is an Angel,” she wrote.
“I will not shut up or stop until my child gets justice! I will not stop until my other girls are home.”
According to family accounts, Zeller did not have custody of Kylie or her two younger daughters.
Kylie’s father died from a drug overdose, and the teen had been living with Donna Toberman, the grandmother of one of Kylie’s sisters, who had adopted Kylie.
Relatives said the girl had built a steady routine despite earlier hardships, becoming active in school activities and participating in wrestling.
“She didn’t deserve this,” Zeller said, describing the previous days as agonizing.
Rivera was booked into the Fayette County Jail around 8 p.m. Friday. He appeared in court the following Monday, where the shocking details presented by prosecutors left attendees stunned.
Charging documents indicated that Rivera had been serving as Kylie’s caretaker while Toberman was receiving medical treatment.
According to prosecutors, he assaulted the teen in a vehicle, then strangled her using jumper cables.
They said Rivera later placed her body inside a blue tote stored in his RV in an apparent effort to conceal the teen’s murder.
Friends of the victim struggled to process the details. Caitlynn Shellenbarger, who had known Kylie since preschool, said the news left her reeling.
“When I found out I think I was just taken back and distraught,” she commented. “I would’ve never guessed that he could be that type of person and that could happen in the small town of Vandalia.”
Shellenbarger called Kylie’s death “unimaginable,” saying, “It broke my heart because she was the sweetest, kindest person, and she had so much life left to live. I mean, she was only 14-years-old.”
She added, “I think that Arnold was a disgusting man and that that should have never happened. I think that she was failed as a person.”
She also raised concerns about how child welfare agencies handled earlier reports involving the teen.
“Kylie had so many DCFS reports about the situation, and they just brushed it off because Kylie wouldn’t speak up,” she said.
“I think that’s a big problem. You advocate for your siblings, cousins, and family, but if they can’t speak up for themselves because they’re too scared, nothing gets done at all.”
During Monday’s hearing, the judge denied Rivera’s request for pretrial release, saying his release could pose a danger to the public.
He remains held at the Fayette County Jail while awaiting further proceedings.
Court records indicate Rivera is scheduled to return to court next Tuesday at the Fayette County Courthouse.
In a separate case unrelated to Kylie’s death, federal authorities are investigating the death of an 18-year-old on a Carnival Cruise ship.
Anna Kepner, who just graduated from high school, had been traveling with family aboard the Carnival Horizon during a Caribbean cruise when she died earlier this month.
The ship returned to Port Miami on November 8, where investigators boarded to begin reviewing circumstances surrounding her death.
Carnival Cruise Line acknowledged the tragedy in a written statement, saying, “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.”
“Since this is an ongoing matter under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, it is up to the FBI’s Miami public affairs office to provide further details. Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest,” the statement added.
Family members described Anna as an exceptional student with a vibrant personality who thrived socially and academically.
“When she walked into a room, she would light it up,” her family told ABC News. “If you were sad, she’d make you laugh. She would joke around and be the funniest little person in school.”
They added that she had been preparing to join the military and wanted a career dedicated to serving others.
According to information shared with outlets, Anna told family members she felt unwell during dinner on November 6 and returned to her cabin for rest.
When relatives gathered for breakfast the next morning, she was not present, prompting a search across the ship.
A cabin attendant later discovered her body wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets, placed underneath a bed.
The Miami Dade County Medical Examiner listed her time of death as 11:17 a.m. on November 7. Investigators have not released the cause of her death.
