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Pregnant woman found dead; now sordid family-affair accusations and mystery of her baby's grisly fate emerge: Court docs
The mother of a slain pregnant woman found in a Michigan forest has confessed to committing grisly acts against her daughter and her unborn grandson, according to new court documents. The case also has taken a shocking twist as sordid accusations of illicit family affairs have emerged.As Blaze News reported earlier this month, 22-year-old Rebecca Park — who was approximately 38 weeks pregnant — was reported missing Nov. 4, according to the Wexford County Sheriff's Office. 'Your baby is gonna die.'Following weeks of intense searches for the missing pregnant woman, Park's body was found in the Manistee National Forest on Nov. 25 — just three days after she was due to give birth. However, Park's child was no longer in her womb. The Michigan Department of Attorney General stated that 40-year-old Cortney Bartholomew and 47-year-old Bradly Bartholomew "lured" Park to their home in Wexford County. Cortney Bartholomew is Park's biological mother, who gave up her daughter for adoption as a young child; Bradly Bartholomew is her stepfather."The couple then allegedly tortured Park in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both," the attorney general said. According to MLive, Wexford County Prosecutor Johanna Carey said, "Mr. Bartholomew brought Rebecca to their home, 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, ultimately causing her death and the death of the baby."Cortney initially denied any involvement in the murder of her daughter, according to police.However, Cortney later confessed to cops that Park was still conscious when she cut the baby out of her daughter while Bradly held a knife to her throat, according to court documents. Cortney claimed she cut the baby out of Rebecca in an attempt to save the child so she could then take him to his father, court documents allege. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by UpNorthLive, "When she cut the baby out, Cortney said that Rebecca was still conscious, and Bradly was holding the knife to her throat."Court docs added that Cortney told Rebecca to lie back and said, "Your baby is gonna die."The affidavit said Bradly told law enforcement that the baby was not alive when the child was cut out of the womb. Cortney informed investigators that the baby was not breathing or crying when the child was removed from the womb, court documents state. Court docs also indicate that Bradly told detectives that after Cortney couldn't revive the baby, she said, "The bitch killed my baby."According to the affidavit, Bradly accused Cortney of killing her daughter because she wanted another child, but the couple couldn't adopt because he's a convicted sex offender."Bradly agreed that he believes that Cortney is capable of slicing open her own flesh and blood and taking a baby out," the affidavit reads. "He agreed that Cortney is obsessed with wanting another baby in her care and custody."When Cortney asked about her grandson, who had just been cut from his mother's womb, Bradly replied, "Oh, I stuck him in a cooler, stuck him in a trash bag, threw him in the trash," the affidavit states. RELATED: Stunned judge reveals fate of woman involved in deadly kidnapping of 2 young sisters found in a pit — 1 did not survive "I slit her f**king throat, bitch deserved it," Cortney claimed her husband told her, according to Law & Crime.In a strange twist, Cortney allegedly admitted to having a romantic relationship with her daughter Rebecca's fiancé — 43-year-old Richard Falor — who also is the father of Rebecca's unborn child."Cortney then reports how Rebecca and Richard Falor were initially dating, and [when] they broke up, a relationship between herself and Richard then commences," the affidavit indicates. Court documents claim Cortney rejected Falor and that he then resumed his relationship with Rebecca."Cortney also reported that Richard had returned to her residence and raped her, forcefully, causing her to have a miscarriage of the baby she was carrying," the affidavit states, adding that "a report of this incident was made with the sheriff's office, however, Cortney said Richard was not charged."Cortney claimed that Falor had been abusive and aggressive with Park, and she encouraged Rebecca to leave him.The affidavit reads, "[Cortney] again claimed that this was a revenge plot because she had a sexual relationship with Richard and because Richard got Bradly put in jail. She claimed that Bradly wanted to hurt Richard."The 18-page probable cause affidavit alleges that Falor turned in Bradly last year on a sex offender registration violation.Bradly received a 180-day jail sentence for an unspecified violation related to his being on the sex offender registry, according to court records obtained by People magazine. Court documents indicate that Cortney told authorities that Bradly said Falor also deserved what's coming to him, and it "just happened to be your daughter that's going to pay for it."Cortney claimed Bradly told her that he planned to cut the baby out of Rebecca right in front of Falor after doing an internet search about C-sections, court docs say.The stepfather asserted that Rebecca's sister — 21-year-old Kimberly Park — also had a "relationship" with Falor."Bradly reported that Kimberly is jealous of Rebecca, and that he is aware that Kimberly has had a relationship with Richard in the past," the affidavit states. Over the last two weeks, Rebecca's mother, stepfather, sister, and fiancé have been arrested. People magazine reported that Kimberly has been charged with tampering with evidence, lying to a police officer, and filing a false report. She is on house arrest after her bail was reduced from $750,000 to $5,000.Falor was charged with distributing methamphetamine, according to the New York Post. He pleaded not guilty Dec. 2.Cortney and Bradly each were charged with one felony count of first-degree premeditated murder, one felony count of murder, one felony count of torture in a place of confinement, one felony count of conspiracy to commit torture, one felony count of assault of a pregnant woman with the intention to cause miscarriage or stillbirth, one felony count of conspiracy to commit assault on a pregnant woman with the intention to cause miscarriage or stillbirth, and one misdemeanor count of removal of a dead body.If convicted of any of the felonies, the pair faces up to life in prison.Court records identify Bradly Bartholomew as a habitual offender, which could result in harsher penalties.The Bartholomews were jailed without the possibility of bond.Court appearances by Cortney and Bradly have been postponed until Jan. 13, 2026, WWTV-TV and WWUP-TV reported. Like Blaze News? 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