Two women, Kourtney Eutsey, 31, and Sarah Shipley, 35, are facing the possibility of the death penalty after being charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 9-year-old girl, Renesmay Eutsey. The Fayette County District Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania has filed notices of aggravated circumstances against the pair, which could lead to the death penalty if they are found guilty.
Renesmay was reported missing on September 3, leading to a state-wide search by the Pennsylvania State Police. The search ended tragically when the young girl’s body was discovered in a bag on the banks of the Youghiogheny River in Fayette County.
Eutsey, a blood relative and legal guardian of Renesmay, was also caring for her own children at the time of the incident. Shipley was also a legal guardian of the victim. As police prepared to search Eutsey’s home, a young child reportedly approached them, expressing regret for not revealing the truth about Renesmay’s fate.
The child, a sibling of Renesmay, told officers that Eutsey had killed Renesmay and disposed of her body in a tote bag. The child also claimed to have overheard Eutsey and another adult, allegedly Shipley, discussing plans to take Renesmay to a river “far, far away.”
The affidavit further revealed that the child had heard Renesmay screaming and crying, prompting her to leave her room to investigate. She reportedly witnessed Eutsey and Shipley yelling at Renesmay and kicking her in the stomach.
When Renesmay’s body was found on September 4, she weighed a mere 45 pounds. The autopsy revealed signs of abuse and neglect, including cigarette burns, one of which may have become infected. The child had reportedly never received medical treatment.
The accused women are also alleged to have abused other children in the home, with law enforcement describing the treatment as torture. Two children had missing teeth, reportedly pulled out with pliers by Shipley. The children were homeschooled, but an 11-year-old girl was unable to read, and a 6-year-old boy was found to be chronically malnourished and dehydrated.
The remaining children in the home have been placed under the care of another family member. Renesmay’s biological mother, Christina Benedetto, expressed her disbelief and grief over the alleged actions of the defendants in an interview with a local CBS affiliate.