Ashley Bush: Missing pregnant mom and unborn baby found dead after allegedly abducted by woman she met online
BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS: A pregnant Arkansas woman and the 31-week-old baby she was carrying were found dead in two different locations a day apart in Missouri. Ashley Bush's tragic death comes after she met a woman called 'Lucy', who was helping her find a job.
The baby's body was found on Wednesday and Bush's body was found Thursday, three days after she was reported missing from Arkansas. In an emotional news conference on Thursday, Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith revealed that the mother of three, Bush, died from an apparent gunshot wound. Suspects Amber Waterman and Jamie Waterman are being held in the McDonald County Jail on charges related to the Bush's disappearance reported 'The Sun.'
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“This is one of the most horrific cases that I have been personally involved with,” Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway said. Police are investigating how Bush, who was from Arkansas, and Amber Waterman, who was using a fake name 'Lucy' met online. Bush's fiance Josh Willis said the Arkansas mom was last seen on Monday, October 31, when he drove her to the intersection of Highway 72 and Highway 43 in Maysville to meet up with a woman who was supposedly helping her find a job
Bush was searching for a job when she met Lucy aka Amber Waterman online. She picked Bush up at the Handi-Mart in Maysville to take her to a job interview in Bentonville. Around 3 pm Bush texted her fiance, saying she was in Gravette and on her way back to Handi-Mart so she could be picked up. When Willis went to pick up Bush, he said he saw 'Lucy' and Bush drive past the gas station. “I hollered at her because her windows cracked, so I know she heard me," he said. "This ‘Lucy’ lady looks over at me, looks back straight ahead at the windshield and drives off." Willis said he allegedly tried to chase them but couldn’t keep up.
The suspects Amber Waterman and Jamie Waterman who are husband and wife, face federal charges of kidnapping but additional charges will be later added, said Smith. It wasn't clear where Bush or her child were killed, so homicide charges have not yet been filed. In Arkansas, someone who kills a pregnant woman is charged with two counts of murder, Smith said. Authorities in Arkansas are working with agencies in Missouri to go over jurisdiction laws regarding the case. “She’s the best mom that any kid could ask for," said Willis. “This is just a reminder that there is evil in the world." “People do evil things. And that someone would prey upon a pregnant woman at her most vulnerable state is unimaginable but unfortunately that's the world we live in.”