Missouri Woman Admits to Twisted Scheme of Luring and Murdering Pregnant Woman to Steal Baby
McDonald County Sheriff’s Department; Facebook
A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of a pregnant woman from Arkansas, whom she lured with a fake job opportunity.
On Tuesday, July 30, the United States District Attorney’s Western District of Missouri announced that Amber Waterman, 44, has pleaded guilty in federal court to the kidnapping and tragic death of Ashley Bush and her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis.
According to the press release, Waterman contacted Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant, through Facebook by pretending to offer a job opportunity. The two first met at a public library in Gravette, Arkansas, on October 28, 2022, and again three days later at a nearby convenience store. During this second encounter, Waterman convinced Bush to get into her truck under the pretense of meeting a supervisor.
Instead, Waterman kidnapped Bush and drove her to her residence in Pineville, Missouri. That evening, first responders received a call about a baby who was not breathing. Waterman claimed she had given birth to the baby in the truck while on her way to the hospital, but the baby was actually Bush’s child, who had died in utero during the kidnapping, told AP News.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that Waterman has pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of causing the death of a child in utero. “This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said. “Today’s guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for her actions and ensures that justice will be served.”
Bush’s death has been ruled a homicide, with her autopsy stating that she “died as a result of penetrating trauma of the torso.” Waterman now faces a life sentence in federal prison without parole, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for October 15, 2024.
In November 2022, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported that Bush’s charred remains were found in Missouri, with her unborn child’s body discovered the day before at a separate location.
A source revealed that Waterman had created a fake Facebook account under the name “Lucy Burrows” to offer free baby clothes to expectant mothers and used this alias to communicate with Bush. Bush’s fiancé, Joshua Willis, told police he saw Bush driving away in a tan truck with Waterman and was unable to reach her by phone, which was later found on the shoulder of a highway. Police eventually traced the fake Facebook profile to Waterman’s residence.
