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Mother: Man Arrested In Murder Of Sister Marnee Kelley-Mills Had Schizophrenia

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver police have arrested the brother of a 17-year-old girl killed in Denver's Montbello neighborhood. Police tweeted Thursday evening that an arrest had been made in the death of Marnee Kelley-Mills, 17, on Troy Street. Darsean Kelley, 25, her older brother, was the suspect.

Darsean Kelley
Darsean Kelley (credit: CBS)

For the victim's family, the news was beyond horrific.

Marnee Kelley-Mills
Marnee Kelley-Mills (credit: Kelley-Mills family)

The victim's mother spoke to CBS4 on Thursday. She is still coping with the murder of her youngest son, Otis, who was shot to death in his front yard just over a year ago.

"It was my 15-year-old son who got shot in front of me and his sister a year-and-a-half ago ... they do know who killed him," said Vicky Lewis, mother of Marnee Kelley-Mills.

Marnee Kelley-Mills murder (1)
(credit: CBS)

Lewis says her oldest son, now suspected of killing his sister, has schizophrenia. She has done everything she can to manage it on her own but as a single mother, it has proved impossible.

"He killed my daughter today while I was at work and she was on her way to school. I just am in this vicious cycle of mental health issues. I can't get help for my oldest son," she cried.

Marnee Kelley-Mills murder (2)
(credit: CBS)

Lewis has now essentially lost all three of her children.

"My oldest, son who is 25, has mental health issues and the police are always called to my house and they tell me there's nothing they can do."

It was just after 11 a.m. Thursday when Lewis found her daughter, dead, in the trash can in front of their home.

"All I can do is sit and cry and pray and it didn't help it took all three of my children from me," said Lewis.

Marnee Kelley-Mills
Marnee Kelley-Mills (credit: Kelley-Mills family)

She said she has tried in vain to get help for her son to no avail. She wants others to know that mental health and gun violence go hand-in-hand.

She says she wants to see change to help those who can't afford the services they need, get the help they deserve.

Montbello Career And Technical High School
(credit: CBS)

Marnee Kelley-Mills was a student at Montbello Career and Technical High School. The school sent out a letter to families on Thursday announcing that Kelley-Mills had died and that special resources for children who are struggling with the news are being made available.

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