On September 4, 2025, a tragic case unfolded in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, when the body of 9-year-old Renesmay Eutsey was discovered partially submerged in the Youghiogheny River near Smithton, Westmoreland County. The girl, reported missing from her home in Dunbar Borough, was found dead nearly 14 hours after authorities were alerted to her disappearance.
Kourtney Malinda Eutsey, 31, identified as the foster mother and live-in caretaker of Renesmay, now faces a slew of serious charges, including criminal homicide, in connection with the child’s death. This devastating incident has raised questions about child welfare, oversight in foster care systems, and the circumstances leading to the girl’s untimely death.
The Disappearance and Discovery of Renesmay Eutsey
The sequence of events began on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, when Renesmay Eutsey was reported missing from her home on the 100 block of 3rd Street in Dunbar Borough. According to Pennsylvania State Police, Kourtney Eutsey and her partner, Sarah Shipley, contacted authorities around noon, claiming that the 9-year-old, who had special needs, had wandered away from their home at approximately 2 a.m. that day.
This significant delay of nearly 11 hours in reporting the child’s disappearance raised immediate concerns among investigators. Renesmay, described as having developmental disabilities and being small for her age, was unlikely to have left the home on her own, especially dressed only in pajamas, as initially reported by Eutsey and Shipley. As authorities mobilized search and rescue teams, a command center was established in Dunbar Borough to coordinate efforts. Police, alongside community volunteers, scoured nearby woods and reviewed surveillance footage, hoping to locate the missing girl.
However, discrepancies in the accounts provided by Eutsey and Shipley began to surface. Surveillance footage captured a vehicle arriving at the home shortly before 4 a.m., with a person entering and exiting the residence multiple times, contradicting the timeline initially provided. Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele noted that the information given by Eutsey did not align with investigative leads, including surveillance evidence and interviews with other children in the household.
Read : 93-Year-Old James Pate Arrested for Allegedly Stabbing a Woman
By early Thursday morning, September 4, 2025, around 3:30 a.m., the search took a tragic turn. Kourtney Eutsey, under questioning, led investigators to the Youghiogheny River, approximately 20 miles from the Dunbar home, where Renesmay’s body was found partially submerged near Smithton.
Read : Top Ten Evergreen Plants That Bloom 24/7: Adding Perpetual Beauty to Your Garden
The discovery confirmed the worst fears of law enforcement and the community: Renesmay Eutsey was dead, and the circumstances surrounding her death pointed to foul play. Aubele described the situation as “frustrating,” noting that extensive search efforts were hampered by misleading information provided by Eutsey, which gave false hope to those searching for the child.
Charges Against Kourtney Malinda Eutsey and Disturbing Allegations
Kourtney Malinda Eutsey faces a litany of charges in connection with Renesmay’s death, including criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault (one for attempting to cause injury with extreme indifference and another because the victim was under 13 years old), endangering the welfare of children, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the death of a child. Eutsey was arraigned on Thursday, September 4, 2025, before District Judge Jason Cox and is currently being held without bond in Fayette County Prison, deemed a “threat to self and others” according to court documents.
The criminal complaint details disturbing allegations that paint a grim picture of the events leading to Renesmay’s death. According to court documents, Eutsey told investigators that Renesmay had suffered a severe burn injury in the bathtub about a week prior to her death, which was never treated by a medical professional. She claimed that on the night of September 2, 2025, Renesmay began vomiting and choking, and despite attempting CPR for 20 to 30 minutes, the child died.
Eutsey admitted to panicking, citing fears of getting in trouble due to the untreated burn and Renesmay’s emaciated appearance—she weighed just 45 pounds and showed signs of malnourishment, bruises, and possible cigarette burns. Instead of contacting emergency services, Eutsey placed the girl’s body in a black garbage bag, then into a plastic tote, and drove to the Youghiogheny River, where she left the body along the riverbank.
However, a chilling account from another child in the household contradicts Eutsey’s narrative. The child, interviewed by state police, reported hearing Renesmay screaming and crying around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, September 2. The witness stated that they overheard Eutsey and another adult, believed to be Sarah Shipley, discussing taking Renesmay to a river “far, far away.”
The child alleged that they saw Eutsey and the other adult yelling at Renesmay and kicking her in the stomach. When the witness was noticed watching, the other adult reportedly punched the child in the mouth. The witness further described seeing Renesmay’s body, with white lips and appearing lifeless, being placed into a black garbage bag and then a tote. This account, coupled with physical evidence of abuse on Renesmay’s body, suggests a pattern of neglect and violence that culminated in her death.
Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele has indicated that additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues. The Westmoreland County coroner is conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, which has not yet been publicly disclosed. Aubele emphasized that the evidence points to clear signs of abuse, including malnourishment and physical injuries, raising serious concerns about the environment in which Renesmay and other children in the home were living.
Broader Implications and Community Response
The death of Renesmay Eutsey has sent shockwaves through the Fayette County community and beyond, prompting outrage and calls for reform in the foster care system. Children and Youth Services has removed all other children from the home, and the agency is now involved in ensuring their safety and well-being. Renesmay’s biological mother, who spoke to local media, revealed that she had lost custody of Renesmay and her older brother five years ago due to struggles with drug addiction.
She expressed heartbreak, noting that Renesmay had “so much light in her eyes” before being placed in Eutsey’s care. The mother lamented that instead of seeking help or returning the children if they could not be cared for, Eutsey and Shipley “resorted to the worst possible thing” when they were supposed to protect her daughter. This case has highlighted significant gaps in oversight and accountability within the foster care system.
Renesmay, described as a special needs child with developmental disabilities, was particularly vulnerable, and the failure to address her medical needs—such as the untreated burn injury—raises questions about how such conditions went unnoticed by authorities or social workers. Aubele noted that the children in the household were not attending school and were isolated from professionals who might have observed signs of abuse or neglect. This lack of interaction with mandated reporters, such as teachers or healthcare providers, may have allowed the alleged abuse to continue unchecked.
Community members and advocates are calling for a thorough review of foster care placements and monitoring processes to prevent similar tragedies. The case underscores the importance of rigorous background checks, regular home visits, and mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect by all adults in a household. Aubele emphasized that any adult aware of abuse and failing to report it bears responsibility, suggesting that others in the household may face scrutiny as the investigation progresses.
Sarah Shipley, identified as the court-ordered custodian of Renesmay, has not been charged as of September 5, 2025, but the ongoing investigation may uncover additional details about her role. The tragedy of Renesmay Eutsey’s death serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by children in foster care and the critical need for systemic reforms to protect them.
As the legal process unfolds, the community mourns the loss of a young life and grapples with the question of how such a horrific outcome could have occurred. Kourtney Malinda Eutsey’s trial will likely draw significant attention, as the public seeks justice for Renesmay and answers to the failures that allowed her suffering to go unnoticed. For now, the focus remains on supporting the surviving children and ensuring that no other child endures a similar fate.