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The tragic death of a pregnant Michigan woman has led to the arrest of her mother and stepfather, although the specific charges they face remain undisclosed in court documents.
Records indicate that Cortney Bartholomew, aged 40, and Bradly Bartholomew, aged 47, were taken into custody late Sunday night. WPBN reports that an arraignment was initially set for Monday afternoon, but has been postponed to Tuesday as prosecutors were not yet prepared with their complaint.
During Bradly Bartholomew’s hearing, Judge Corey Wiggins stated, “We will go ahead and set up for arraignment tomorrow. The court in the meantime will hold Mr. Bartholomew without a bond. I do find that he is both a threat and a flight risk based on what I’ve read in search warrants. As such, we’ll reconvene tomorrow, see where we are at.”
According to CrimeOnline, an autopsy confirmed that the body discovered on November 25 in Manistee National Forest was indeed that of 22-year-old Rebecca Park, who was last seen on November 3. The forest is located near the Bartholomews’ residence. At the time of her disappearance, Park was 38 weeks pregnant, and her baby remains missing.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Park’s boyfriend, Richard Falor, has been arrested on drug charges. Meanwhile, her sister, Kimberly Park, faces accusations of tampering with evidence, lying to police, and filing a false felony report. Although it’s unclear if these charges are linked to Rebecca Park’s death, both Falor and Kimberly Park have been deemed flight risks, with bonds set at $1 million for Falor and $750,000 for Kimberly Park.
In asking for a delay in the Bartholomews’ arraignment, Prosecutor Johanna Carey told the judge, “If there was ever a case where circumstances justify a delay of any type, it’s this case.”
“This is as serious as it gets,” she said. “It’s as horrible as it gets — to preserve the integrity of the case.”
Cortney Bartholomew had previously told local media that her daughter was picked up from her home by someone in a dark sedan with tinted windows, so she didn’t see who it was. Rebecca Park’s cell phone was later found in the road a short distance away.
The young woman’s body was found in an area where law enforcement had previously said was searched.
Authorities have not revealed the cause or manner of Park’s death.