More unsettling information has surfaced in the aftermath of the tragic killing of Rebecca Park and her unborn child. Rebecca, who was nearing the end of her pregnancy, was last seen on November 3. Her lifeless body was found in a wooded area on November 25, with no trace of her baby, and a postmortem examination confirmed she was no longer pregnant.
Charges have been filed against Cortney Bartholomew, 40, the victim’s biological mother, and Bradley Bartholomew, 47, her stepfather, including counts of murder, torture, illegal confinement, and corpse disposal.
Following Rebecca’s disappearance just days before her expected delivery date, a significant search operation was launched. Her remains were discovered in the vicinity of Manistee National Forest, near Lake Michigan.
Law enforcement officials state that on November 3, the Bartholomews enticed Rebecca, who was 38 weeks pregnant, to their residence in Boon. She was reported missing on November 4, having been last seen entering a vehicle at her mother’s residence the day before.
The couple was taken into custody and charged with murder on December 1. During their court appearance the next day, prosecutors alleged that Cortney removed her unborn grandchild from her daughter’s womb. Wexford County Prosecutor Johanna Carey described it as a “case of premeditated torture and murder,” asserting that the pair had devised a plan and conducted research.
At the hearing for Cortney and Bradley on December 2, prosecutors disclosed distressing details about Rebecca’s demise, including the tragic fate of her unborn child. They claimed that Rebecca was still alive when Cortney purportedly performed the procedure to extract the fetus.
In court, Carey stated, “Mr. Bartholomew brought Rebecca to their home, [he and Cortney] forced her into another vehicle and took her into the woods where they stabbed her, forced her to lie on the ground while they cut her baby out, and ultimately caused her death and the death of the baby.” She added that they abandoned Rebecca in the woods.
After initially denying involvement in Rebecca’s death, Cortney reportedly altered her statement when investigators informed her that her phone data placed her at the site where Rebecca’s remains were found on the night of the incident. During a subsequent interview, she confessed to extracting the unborn baby. Cortney claimed she used a scalpel to save the child and intended to give the baby to Rebecca’s partner, Richard Lee Falor.
According to the affidavit, Cortney accused Bradley of killing Rebecca, alleging that he coerced her into a car, stabbed her, and then she proceeded to extract the unborn child. Cortney claimed the baby was not breathing after the procedure.
“When she cut the baby out, Cortney said that Rebecca was still conscious and Bradly was holding the knife to her throat,” the affidavit detailed. Cortney mentioned that Rebecca’s body was then disposed of down an incline and covered with leaves, while the fetus was placed in a cooler, then a trash bag, and finally discarded in a dumpster.
Bradley purportedly informed authorities that Cortney orchestrated the entire operation, driven by her desire for more children due to his status as a registered sex offender, according to the affidavit.
In a disturbing development, legal documents indicate that Rebecca, her mother, and her sister were all reportedly involved with the same individual. Both Kimberly and Cortney disclosed to investigators that they had relationships with Park’s fiancé, Richard Lee Falor.
Additionally, Cortney allegedly informed law enforcement that her husband, Bradley, was the biological father of the baby, as documented. Cortney reportedly stated, “Brad said it was his.”
Cortney Bartholomew, Rebecca’s biological mother, did not raise her; instead, she and her siblings were adopted and brought up by Stephanie Park and her spouse. Stephanie Park expressed that “[Rebecca] deserves to be remembered as the sweet girl that she was when she was younger,” to 9&10 News.