Found Deceased MI - Rebecca Park, 22, approx 38 wks pregnant, last seen entering vehicle, phone found - Wexford County - Nov 2025

[sunfumplr]

I'm a bit curious on the charges here. Their theory is: "It is alleged that on November 3, the couple lured Park – Cortney Bartholomew’s biological daughter, who was approximately 38 weeks pregnant at the time – to their Wexford County home. The couple then allegedly tortured Park in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both."

I understand not having a separate murder charge for the baby because in Michigan you need to prove that the baby was alive after birth for murder to apply. If they do not have the baby's body, they would not be able to do an autopsy to see if the baby took a breath, etc.

However, in Michigan we do have a statute for manslaughter for the willful killing of an unborn child. MCL 750.322: Wilful killing of unborn quick child—The wilful killing of an unborn quick child by any injury to the mother of such child, which would be murder if it resulted in the death of such mother, shall be deemed manslaughter.

I'm wondering why this charge wasn't also added to their list?

I just made this account.
I just wanted to say that maybe it's because we don't know if they willfully killed the child. They could have meant to keep it alive.

 

[Gemmie]

I'm a bit curious on the charges here. Their theory is: "It is alleged that on November 3, the couple lured Park – Cortney Bartholomew’s biological daughter, who was approximately 38 weeks pregnant at the time – to their Wexford County home. The couple then allegedly tortured Park in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both."

Jumping off your post as I have a question bouncing around my head about the date she was alleged to have been taken.... Where was her body stored all the time between taken (~11/3) and found? I haven't heard anything about the state it was in when found (as in decomp-wise).

Did they have a way to store it to keep it cold enough to stave off decomp? Was she lured away ~11/3, kept/detained somewhere alive, and then closer to the date she was found they killed her? I can't make sense out of the time between missing and found.

 

[Gemmie]

I just made this account.
I just wanted to say that maybe it's because we don't know if they willfully killed the child. They could have meant to keep it alive.

Welcome to WS @sunfumplr!

 

[mrsmmm]

Jumping off your post as I have a question bouncing around my head about the date she was alleged to have been taken.... Where was her body stored all the time between taken (~11/3) and found? I haven't heard anything about the state it was in when found (as in decomp-wise).

Did they have a way to store it to keep it cold enough to stave off decomp? Was she lured away ~11/3, kept/detained somewhere alive, and then closer to the date she was found they killed her? I can't make sense out of the time between missing and found.

It's been cold here in Michigan; even if RP's body was left outside, decomp would have been significantly slowed due to temps. A few days may have reached over 50 degrees, but I'd say it's probably been 40 and below for the majority of the month.

 

[mrsmmm]

I just made this account.
I just wanted to say that maybe it's because we don't know if they willfully killed the child. They could have meant to keep it alive.

Welcome!
And yes, this would be a clue that the prosecutors BELIEVE that CB and BB were trying to steal the baby.

 

[Gemmie]

It's been cold here in Michigan; even if RP's body was left outside, decomp would have been significantly slowed due to temps. A few days may have reached over 50 degrees, but I'd say it's probably been 40 and below for the majority of the month.

I thought of that then figured animals would have gotten to her if left outside.

Let's say she was stored outside where large animals couldn't get her.

Spoiler: Not for the squeamish

Rats don't need a very large gap to squeeze through, and I can see them thinking they smelled dinner.

What would be their reason to not dump the body shortly after killing her?

 

[mrsmmm]

I thought of then figured animals would have gotten to her if left outside.

Let's say she was stored outside where large animals couldn't get her.

Spoiler: Not for the squeamish

Rats don't need a very large gap to squeeze through, and I can see them thinking they smelled dinner.

What would be their reason to not dump the body shortly after killing her?

Yes, animals would be a problem. They could have a shed on their property they put her in, but you're right that rats/mice smaller animals could get in there fairly easily.

I also wondered why the body was moved. The first thing that came to mind was that maybe they never intended to kill either of them, but just wanted to take the baby and were overconfident in their "medical" skills. If they never intended for RP to die, then maybe the panicked because they didn't have a "plan" for a dead body.

Hit post before I meant to:
The other possibility is that they wanted it to seem like she ran away. And with the police closing in and issuing search warrants, they had to move her.

 

[crcap]

Between this case, Anna Kepner, and Melodee Buzzard, this is such a dark time

 

[TMich6811]

I'm a bit curious on the charges here. Their theory is: "It is alleged that on November 3, the couple lured Park – Cortney Bartholomew’s biological daughter, who was approximately 38 weeks pregnant at the time – to their Wexford County home. The couple then allegedly tortured Park in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both."

I understand not having a separate murder charge for the baby because in Michigan you need to prove that the baby was alive after birth for murder to apply. If they do not have the baby's body, they would not be able to do an autopsy to see if the baby took a breath, etc.

However, in Michigan we do have a statute for manslaughter for the willful killing of an unborn child. MCL 750.322: Wilful killing of unborn quick child—The wilful killing of an unborn quick child by any injury to the mother of such child, which would be murder if it resulted in the death of such mother, shall be deemed manslaughter.

I'm wondering why this charge wasn't also added to their list?

I said unthread that imo they don’t have enough evidence to support anything related to the baby so they threw everything they could for Rebecca and if they find the baby (I don’t think they will, not intact) they will add either manslaughter or murder at that time.

This is just my guess though

 

[TMich6811]

The part about her body that I can’t figure out is why they put it where they did.

I think they originally intended on it not being found and claiming the baby but why then put it in such an obvious place

 

[Inthedetails]

I'm a bit curious on the charges here. Their theory is: "It is alleged that on November 3, the couple lured Park – Cortney Bartholomew’s biological daughter, who was approximately 38 weeks pregnant at the time – to their Wexford County home. The couple then allegedly tortured Park in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both."

I understand not having a separate murder charge for the baby because in Michigan you need to prove that the baby was alive after birth for murder to apply. If they do not have the baby's body, they would not be able to do an autopsy to see if the baby took a breath, etc.

However, in Michigan we do have a statute for manslaughter for the willful killing of an unborn child. MCL 750.322: Wilful killing of unborn quick child—The wilful killing of an unborn quick child by any injury to the mother of such child, which would be murder if it resulted in the death of such mother, shall be deemed manslaughter.

I'm wondering why this charge wasn't also added to their list?

I am not a lawyer but I think the perps didn't willfully kill the unborn child. They intended to keep the the child alive. So, the charges regarding the baby's death are for causing a miscarriage/stillbirth.

If the child is found and it's determined he died after being delivered, then I think we'll see murder charges for the baby.

Just my guess, could be wrong.

JMO

 

[Spectrix]

I want to know how long they planned this.

When did Rebecca and her bio-mom come into contact? Anyone have a timeline of the relationships of people in this case?

Yes, the time frame is two years that they had known each other, but they were not in regular contact.
Richard (Rebecca's fiancé) said that Rebecca was scared of Courtney and usually would not meet with her unless she was accompanied by another person.
On the night that she went missing, Courtney had supposedly contacted Rebecca about an $2000 inheritance from another family member.
Richard says he doubts this money ever existed.
Courtney says that it was actually $18,000 and that Rebecca had specifically requested only $2000 of that sum.

IMO the so called inheritance was simply a lure to get Rebecca over there alone.

 

[Inthedetails]

The part about her body that I can’t figure out is why they put it where they did.

I think they originally intended on it not being found and claiming the baby but why then put it in such an obvious place

Maybe they thought LE would think Some Other Guy did it.

And, maybe they found out it's hard to hide a body. And hard to dig a hole in cold weather?

 

[Inthedetails]

Yes, the time frame is two years that they had known each other, but they were not in regular contact.
Richard (Rebecca's fiancé) said that Rebecca was scared of Courtney and usually would not meet with her unless she was accompanied by another person.
On the night that she went missing, Courtney had contacted Rebecca about an $2000 inheritance from another family member.
Richard says he doubts this money ever existed.
Courtney says that it was actually $18,000 and that Rebecca had specifically requested only $2000 of that sum.

IMO the so called inheritance was simply a lure to get Rebecca over there alone.

Wow. Thanks for the info. Very interesting.

I realize I'm annoyingly behind on the details of this case, having only just heard of it. Thank you!

jmo

 

[lightofmine99]

Do we know why Cortney lost her leg? Was it diabetes, an accident, or an abscess from drug abuse?

 

[Inthedetails]

Maybe they thought LE would think Some Other Guy did it.

And, maybe they found out it's hard to hide a body. And hard to dig a hole in cold weather?

Also, the plan all fell apart when the baby died and I don't think they had a back-up plan, now that I think it through?

jmo

 

[PawneeDew]

Infertile Cortney wanted a baby, desperately so. Here was her chance to have one that was also 'nearly' hers biologically. Perfect! Only problem was that she'd have to brutally kill her daughter first---whatever....

Are you sure the motive wasn't money? I mean, $2,000???? To your average person that's a drop in the bucket. To a person who is impoverished that's a good chunk of change....
That's messed up, too. Imo

 

[elliefant]

The part about her body that I can’t figure out is why they put it where they did.

I think they originally intended on it not being found and claiming the baby but why then put it in such an obvious place

Because they wanted Becca to be found so they could frame Kim for everything (including placing Kim’s ex’s bank card next to Becca’s body) and take the spotlight off Cortney. As usual Cortney thought everything she said/did would be believed however ridiculous. Imo

 

[mrsmmm]

The part about her body that I can’t figure out is why they put it where they did.

I think they originally intended on it not being found and claiming the baby but why then put it in such an obvious place

It could be that they didn't put much thought into the location. I cannot remember the dates that police were at the Bartholomew residence with search warrants. But, if they felt the police were zeroing in on them, they may have been rushed trying to move the body. Or they got interrupted before getting to their desired destination.

 

[tlcya]

I just made this account.
I just wanted to say that maybe it's because we don't know if they willfully killed the child. They could have meant to keep it alive.

Welcome @sunfumplr

I tend to think that is exactly what their intention was. To keep the baby alive and remove him. During that process, baby died. Otherwise, why bother removing or attempting to remove him from his mother's womb? (just my own opinion)