Disturbing new details have emerged in the horrific case involving the murder of Rebecca Park and her unborn baby. Rebecca, who was just weeks away from giving birth, was last seen on 3 November. Her body was discovered in a forest on 25 November, but there was no sign of her baby, and an autopsy confirmed she was no longer pregnant.
Authorities have charged Rebecca’s biological mother, Cortney Bartholomew, 40, and her stepfather, Bradley Bartholomew, 47, with multiple crimes, including murder, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and the removal of a dead body.
Officials said Rebecca was lured to the Bartholomews’ home in Boon on 3 November while 38 weeks pregnant and was reported missing the following day after entering a vehicle at her mother’s house. A major search effort led to the discovery of her body in Manistee National Forest near Lake Michigan.
During a court hearing on 2 December, prosecutors claimed that Cortney allegedly cut Rebecca’s unborn baby from her womb while Rebecca was still alive, describing the act as “evil personified.” Wexford County Prosecutor Johanna Carey said the pair had “planned” the crime and “conducted research” in advance, calling it a case of premeditated torture and murder.
According to court documents, Cortney initially denied any involvement, but after investigators presented phone data placing her at the scene, she reportedly confessed. She claimed she used a scalpel to remove the fetus with the intention of saving the baby and giving it to Rebecca’s fiancé, Richard Lee Falor. She alleged that Bradley stabbed Rebecca and forced her into a car before the removal of the baby. Cortney said Rebecca’s baby was not breathing after the procedure, and that Rebecca’s body was later pushed down an embankment and covered with leaves, while the fetus was placed in a cooler, then a trash bag, and discarded in a dumpster.
Bradley, meanwhile, told authorities that the operation had been masterminded by Cortney, who allegedly wanted more children because they were unable to adopt due to his status as a registered sex offender.
Further complicating the case, affidavits indicate that Rebecca, her mother, and her sister Kimberly Park were all allegedly involved with the same man, Richard Lee Falor. Cortney reportedly claimed that Bradley was the father of Rebecca’s unborn child, though conflicting statements have emerged.
Stephanie Park, who raised Rebecca and her siblings after adoption, said, “[Rebecca] deserves to be remembered as the sweet girl that she was when she was younger.”
The case has sent shockwaves through the community and remains under active investigation.
