Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping, Murder

A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing a pregnant Arkansas woman in a twisted scheme to steal her unborn baby.

Why it matters: The heinous crime resulted in the tragic deaths of Ashley Bush, 33, and her unborn child, highlighting the disturbing lengths some individuals will go to in order to claim a child as their own.

The details:

• Amber Waterman, 44, admitted to using a fake Facebook account under the name “Lucy Burrows” to lure Bush with a fictitious job offer.
• Waterman met Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant, at a public library and a convenience store in Arkansas before convincing her to get into her truck.
• Instead of meeting a supervisor as promised, Waterman drove Bush to her residence in Pineville, Missouri.
• That evening, first responders were called to assist a baby who was not breathing, with Waterman falsely claiming she had given birth in the truck on the way to the hospital.

An autopsy revealed that Bush died from penetrating trauma to the torso, and her unborn child, who she planned to name Valkyrie Willis, also died in utero following the kidnapping.

What they’re saying:

• “This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said in a statement.
• “Today’s guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for her actions and ensures that justice will be served.”

Waterman pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of causing the death of a child in utero.

What’s next: Waterman faces a mandatory life sentence in federal prison without parole, with the sentencing hearing scheduled for October 15, 2024.

Full story

Amber Waterman, a 44-year-old woman from Pineville, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court to kidnapping and killing Ashley Bush, a pregnant woman from Arkansas. Waterman admitted to using a fake Facebook account under the name “Lucy Barrows” to lure Bush with a false job offer. The two women met at a public library in Gravette, Arkansas, on October 28, 2022, and again three days later at a convenience store.

During their second meeting, Waterman convinced Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant, to get into her truck under the pretense of meeting a supervisor for the job. Instead, Waterman drove Bush to her home in Pineville. That evening, first responders were called to assist with a baby who was not breathing.

Waterman initially claimed she had given birth to the child in her truck on the way to the hospital. However, it was later revealed that the baby was Bush’s child, who had died in utero following the kidnapping.

Woman pleads guilty to kidnapping

An autopsy determined that Bush died from penetrating trauma to the torso. Her body was found two days later in a meadow, while her unborn child’s body was discovered at a separate location. Waterman pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of causing the death of a child in utero.

U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore stated, “This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims. Today’s guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for her actions and ensures that justice will be served.”

Waterman now faces a mandatory life sentence in federal prison without parole. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2024.

Waterman’s husband has been charged with being an accessory after the fact for allegedly helping dispose of Bush’s body. He has pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial in October. This tragic case highlights the disturbing lengths to which Waterman went to deceive and ultimately murder an innocent woman for the purpose of claiming her unborn child as her own.