Kourtney Malinda Eutsey, has been charged with criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children

Published by RawNews1st

Around 3:30 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police said 9-year-old Renesmay Eutsey was found partially submerged in the Youghiogheny River near Smithton in Westmoreland County.

Her adoptive mother, 31-year-old Kourtney Malinda Eutsey, has been charged with criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of a child.

Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele said Kourtney Eutsey misled and withheld information from investigators during their search.

“It is very frustrating. We had a lot of search teams out. We had a lot of people looking for this girl. A lot of false hope,” Aubele said.

Aubele did not say the exact cause of death, but said that it is clear that Renesmay Eutsey was abused. He said the girl appeared to be malnourished and had several bruises and cigarette burns on her body.

On September 3 around 12:41 p.m., state police were called to a home on Third Street in Dunbar to help find Renesmay Eutsey, who was reported missing at the time.

Allegedly, a woman who lives inside the home told investigators that the kids went to bed around 2:30 a.m. She said she was then woken up around noon, and didn’t see Renesmay Eutsey in her room.

The woman claimed that another child in the home said the victim talked about running away, and the bedroom window was cracked open.

State police said video surveillance showed a vehicle arriving at the home around 3:53 a.m., and someone going in and out of the house multiple times.

CYF then arrived and spoke with several children living inside the home. One of the children told troopers that she apologized for not telling the truth earlier and said, “I’m never going to see my baby sister again because she’s in heaven.” Another child in the home told police that their mom killed her sister and put her in a tote.

Troopers then interviewed one of the children, who investigators said is known to state police.

Allegedly, she said the last time she saw Renesmay Eutsey alive was around 10 p.m. She said she then woke up to the victim screaming and crying, and overheard Kourtney Eutsey and the other woman living inside the home say they were going to take the victim to a river “far, far away.” She told troopers she then saw the victim in a black garbage bag and then in a tote.

Around 10:40 p.m., troopers began to interview Kourtney Eutsey.

She told police that the victim burned herself in the bathtub about a week ago, but was never taken to a doctor to be seen, and it may have become infected.

Allegedly, Kourtney Eutsey claimed that on Tuesday night, Renesmay Eutsey vomited and began to choke. She told police she tried for around half an hour to remove the vomit and perform CPR, but the victim eventually died.

Kourtney Eutsey allegedly told troopers she was worried about calling 911 and did not want to get in trouble because of the burn on Renesmay Eutsey and how skinny she was.

Police said that Kourtney Eutsey then put Renesmay Eutsey’s body in a black bag and then into a tote. Court documents say that Kourtney Eutsey then drove to the Youghiogheny River and placed the victim’s body along the shore bank.

Police said Kourtney Eutsey then led troopers to Renesmay Eutsey‘s body in the river in Westmoreland County.

Children & Youth Services is involved, and all the other children living in the home have been removed.

Kourtney Eutsey is in the Fayette County Prison and has been denied bond because she is deemed a “threat to self and others,” according to court documents.

Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate.

The second suspect, 35-year-old Sarah Ann Shipley, allegedly conspired with her partner Kourtney Eutsey to assault and kill Renesmay Eutsey, and then conceal her death.

On September 5, Shipley was taken to the hospital after overdosing in her home, according to Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele. In a Facebook post, Aubele said she will be arraigned once she is released.

Shipley is charged with homicide, conspiracy, endangering welfare of children, aggravated assault, abuse of corpse and tamper with/fabricate physical evidence.