Woman faces life in prison for killing pregnant woman to claim her unborn child

A Missouri woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to the kidnapping and slaying of a pregnant Arkansas woman and the woman's unborn child, who prosecutors said she attempted to claim as her own.

Amber Waterman, 44, of Pineville, faces a life prison sentence in the killing of Ashley Bush "in order to claim her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis."

Pineville is a small town in Izard County just south of the Missouri and Arkansas state lines.

“This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said in statement released by the office of the Western District of Missouri. “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, the office wrote in a news release.

Waterman pleaded guilty during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, and according to prosecutors, admitted she kidnapped Bush and transported the pregnant woman from Maysville, Ark., to Pineville.

The kidnapping, the release continues, resulted in the deaths of both Bush, nearly 31 weeks pregnant at the time, and the baby.

Prosecutors said Waterman "pretended to help Bush obtain employment," suggesting she had a job opportunity for her. That prompted an in-person meeting between the two women on Oct. 28, 2022, at the Gravette, Ark., public library. They agreed to meet again on Oct. 31, 2022.

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A false name, help with a job and an in-person meeting

According to the release, Waterman admitted that, using a false name, she contacted the victim through Facebook and pretended to help Bush obtain employment, suggesting she had a job opportunity for her.

The conversation prompted a meeting between the women on Oct. 28, 2022, at a library in Gravette, Arkansas.

Several days later, on Halloween 2022, Bush met Waterman at a convenience store in Maysville, Ark., prosecutors said.

Under the pretext Waterman was taking her to meet a supervisor to further discuss employment, "Bush got into a truck driven by Waterman. Waterman then kidnapped and abducted Bush, driving her from Maysville to the Waterman residence in Pineville."

That same day, at 5 p.m., first responders were dispatched to a store in Pineville for an emergency call of a baby not breathing.

Autopsy: Ashley Bush died from trauma to torso

Waterman told first responders that she had given birth to the child in the truck while on the way to the hospital.

"But in reality, she admitted, the child was Bush’s child, who died in utero, as a result of Waterman’s kidnapping that resulted in the death of Bush," the release continues.

An autopsy revealed Bush died as a result of "penetrating trauma of the torso" and officials said her manner of death was deemed a homicide.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 15.

Waterman's husband also charged in crime

Waterman's husband, Jamie Waterman, has also been indicted in connection to the crime, the Springfield News-Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network reported.

While her husband reportedly did not initially know about Bush being kidnapped and killed, Amber Waterman told him she had a miscarriage and confessed to her crimes, according to a probable cause affidavit, and he allegedly helped her get rid of Bush's body.

Court documents show the couple burned the body near their home before driving it on Jamie Waterman's truck bed to an area near their house. According to the court document, Jamie Waterman led detectives to where the two had taken the body.

Waterman's husband is charged with being an accessory after the fact in the case. He pleaded not guilty to the crime last July, court papers show. He remained jailed Thursday without bond, slated for trial in October.

Contributing: Marta Mieze

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.