Two people arrested in connection with the death of a pregnant Arkansas woman and her baby
Two people have been taken into custody after the bodies of a pregnant woman from Arkansas and her unborn child were discovered in different places.
On Thursday, the body of Ashley Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, was discovered, only one day after the body of her baby, Valkyrie Grace Willis, was discovered. Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith said at a news conference that it appeared that Bush, who was 33 years old, died as a result of a gunshot wound. Benton County is located in the state of Arkansas and is next to Missouri, which is where the remains were discovered.
Amber Watterman and Jamie Watterman, who are accused of kidnapping Bush, are a married couple from Missouri who contacted the victim online, according to Smith. Both suspects have been detained on kidnapping charges. According to Smith, the evidence suggests that Bush was seeking a job online that she could do from home, and she assumed she was going to meet someone for a job interview.
It is not known where Bush or her baby ultimately perished. It is to be anticipated that more charges will be brought forward.
No information regarding a possible motive was disclosed.
The investigation is still underway, and the authorities have not yet been able to provide a chronology for the events surrounding the abduction and killings. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and police from two different counties are helping with the investigation.
“This is just a reminder that there is evil in the world,” Smith said. “People do evil things. And that someone would pray upon a pregnant woman in her most vulnerable state is unimaginable, but unfortunately that’s the world we live in.”
