Katherine Phillips--Amber Alert, 4 month infant, Michigan

[Lady Cop]

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) - What several investigators thought might be blood near the Scottville home of Sean Michael Phillips tested negative at the Michigan State Police Crime Lab, and police said Wednesday the substance was instead bird feces.

The substance was found Tuesday. Negative results were released about 24 hours later.

Phillips remains jailed on kidnapping charges, tied to the still-active Amber Alert issued one week ago for a baby who may be his daughter, 4-month-old Katherine Phillips.

A court-ordered paternity test was set for last Wednesday, the day Kate vanished. It was never taken. Phillips and Kate's mother, Ariel Courtland, already have a 3-year-old daughter together, Haley.

Concern for Kate is mounting with every hour. The Mason County Sheriff's Department doesn't know where the child could be.

But Courtland made a rare find Wednesday afternoon, as she discovered a photo taken just days before her baby disappeared. In the picture, Kate is shown in the same outfit she was last seen wearing.

"Yeah, she has big, big blue eyes," Courtland said, reflecting on Kate. "Yeah, she does."
The young mother has dealt with another tragedy in the past year. She lost two of her siblings over a several-month span to suicide. :O

Now, in the frantic search for her daughter, Courtland said it helps to know how much effort has gone into Kate's rescue.
"It gives me more hope," she said.
The search effort has centered around a wooded area near a church. A command post has been set up just down the street from Phillips' home.
Courtland visited him over the weekend and took from the trip a small glimmer of hope.
"He shook his head yes when I asked him if she was alive," Courtland said.
This is a different man than the one she used to know, she told 24 Hour News 8.
He's scared that he's gonna spend the rest of his life in prison," Courtland said. WELL NO SHIT!!
The search for Kate will resume Thursday.
"I will find Kate and I will bring her home," Courtland said. "Rather (whether?) she's with us or not, I will bring her home."

[RaisingAPrince]

The one thing that rubs me wrong with this story is how fast the mom was to jump to "even if she's dead I just want her home" statements. If I were this child's mother, I'd have EVERY hope that she's still alive! Something just doesn't seem right in all of this. Poor sweet baby.

[BlueTiki]

Oh Lord! Why do I see a trend starting. Casey Anthony's lawyer is going to be a billionaire representing cases like these. Especially now that we CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIRD SHIT & BLOOD!

Wait 'til the Elizabeth Johnson case hits target court dates. She's AZ's Casey Anthony.

Baby Gabriel . . . she said she killed him, put him in a diaper bag and then into a trash can.

Then she said she gave him away (alive) to an anonymous couple who wanted to adopt.


  elizabeth.jpg (Size: 4.84 KB / Downloads: 175)

Media describes her as "pretty". She's busty, too. And white.

Then there's the "abuse" family issues.

Baez will be visiting AZ . . . bet on it.

[Lady Cop]

Tiki, start a trial thread when that begins if you like.



LUDINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) - From the Mason County Jail, Sean Phillips was willing to visit with the mother of the infant he's accused of kidnapping, but refuses to talk with his own immediate family, Ariel Courtland told 24 Hour News 8.

Courtland, baby Katherine Phillips' mother, hasn't seen her daughter since the day the 4-month-old became the subject of an Amber Alert.

Ludington police say the baby girl was kidnapped by Phillips, who is believed to be Katherine's father.

It's been more than a week now, and the only sign of Katherine has been the finding of the infant's clothing in the woods near Phillips' home, investigators say.

Describing Phillips' demeanor as "strange" during her visits with him on Saturday and Sunday, Courtland said the 21-year-old suspect has turned down any opportunity to talk with his parents, with whom he lived before his arrest.

He also got eerily quiet, Courtland said, when she asked about Katherine. He would only nod his head yes when Courtland asked if the girl was still alive.

"I believe him," Coutland told 24 Hour News 8 Wednesday evening, adding that she doesn't believe Phillips would hurt anyone, much less his own daughter.

During much of the two conversations they had over the weekend Phillips talked about other things, Courtland said, and often times acted as if things were "normal".

Courtland said she did see fear in Phillips and said he told her he was afraid of spending the "rest of his life in prison."

Sunday, the visit ended abruptly. Phillips stood up and said "I can't do this anymore," according to Courtland.

"Then he hung up the phone," she said.

[Lady Cop]

read the entire article at link below.
right, he's a wonderful daddy.
i wonder a lot about this mommy.
oh, she needs donations $$$$ in case of a funeral.










LUDINGTON — Sean Michael Phillips isn't a monster, but rather a devoted father who left his friends behind to focus on his children, according to the mother of 4-month-old baby Katherine Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips, who's been missing since June 29.

“I've never seen him treat her badly — ever," Ariel Courtland said of Michael Phillips and the baby, known as Kate. "He held her, threw her up in the air playing with her, and he kissed her, he changed her diaper.


http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index...t_128.html

[kfran]

Read the article LC & several red flags show up for me. Not so sure about the mother & if he's not talking then that tells me the baby is dead.

[Lady Cop]

i am convinced the mother is a stinking liar about something.

LUDINGTON — Another daylong search for missing 4-month-old Katherine Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips resulted in no new leads that would help authorities locate the missing infant who was abducted on June 29, according to an official late Friday.

Law enforcement officials from the Ludington Police Department, Mason County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and various police agencies across the state invited volunteers Friday to join in on the search.

As of late Friday, no new information about the case or the whereabouts of the baby was known. The search was still going on around 5 p.m. It was unclear how long Friday's search was set to continue.

this was finally briefly mentioned on nancy grace tonight.

[kfran]

They probably both had something to do w/it. He looks a little 'off' IMO. Drives me crazy that he won't talk or communicate w/LE. What is up with the "I can't do this anymore" statement? Tell him he gets an early flight to Afghanistan, will be 'jumping' out of the plane sans parachute.

[Lady Cop]

i think he has a court hearing today.
i still think the mother's story stinks.
why was the baby undressed? (her clothes were found) where is her body?



LUDINGTON — The mother of Ludington's missing "Baby Kate" said Sean Michael Phillips couldn't bear to tell his parents he had fathered another child, so he took the baby and mother to a Department of Human Services office in an attempt to give the infant up for adoption hours before the child disappeared.

The baby's mother, Ariel Courtland, 19, told The Chronicle that on June 29, the day her infant was allegedly abducted by Phillips, he drove all three of them to the Mason County DHS office in Ludington, intending on giving Kate up for adoption. That effort ended when Courtland refused, she said.

[Lady Cop]

A preliminary examination for 21-year-old Sean Michael Phillips, charged with kidnapping in the disappearance of a missing 5-month-old Ludington girl, has been postponed until Aug. 3.

The preliminary hearing, scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, was rescheduled after Phillips' attorney, Annette Smedley, said she had not had time to review all police reports in the case. HORSESHIT!

hey slimeball, make him say where the baby is! or are you of the baez school of law?

[Lady Cop]

damn shame we can't torture it out of him.

August 2, 2011
More information in the case of missing infant Katherine “Kate” Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips could come to light Wednesday.

Sean Phillips, the man charged with kidnapping baby Kate, is expected to be at the Mason County Courthouse Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.

He previously had a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 13. After a brief appearance in court, his attorney, Annette Smedley, told the court she had only received police reports pertaining to the case that morning and needed more time to prepare for the hearing. Sean agreed to waive his right to have a preliminary hearing within 14 days of arraignment and Judge Peter J. Wadel adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.

[Lady Cop]

fucking lawyer, make him say where the baby is!! you cunt. did the baby have any rights??


LUDINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) - After hours of testimony and presented evidence, Sean Michael Phillips was ordered to stand trial in the kidnapping of baby Katherine Phillips in June. She has not been seen since.

Wearing an orange jumpsuit and a bulletproof vest, Sean Phillips heard Ariel Courtland testify Wednesday that he wanted to abort and later have someone adopt her missing now-five-month-old daughter Kate.

Courtland said Phillips again talked about putting Kate up for adoption on June 29, the day she went missing and the day the baby was set to take a test to determine if Phillips was the father.

The lawyer representing Phillips tried to argue that Courtland, too, wanted to adopt the baby, forcing her to admit she filled out at least portions of unsubmitted adoption paperwork.

When the prosecutor followed up, Courtland said Phillips threatened that she would never see her other daughter again if she didn't work toward an adoption.

Courtland admitted under cross-examination that she had told Phillips she and their other daughter missed him, but told prosecutors it was part of an effort to convince Phillips to tell her where Kate was.







Ludington PD Officer Tony Kuster with clothes he said were in Sean Phillips' pocket. Phillips is accused of kidnapping a 4-month-old.

[Lady Cop]

another POS like skelton. i hope he spends his life in prison. that baby is dead and i still think the mother knows what happened and where she is.



LUDINGTON, Mich. (WZZM)-- The man charged in the kidnapping of a missing Ludington girl is now facing new charges.

Sean Phillips, 21, is accused of abducting baby Katherine Phillips outside her mother's Ludington apartment on June 29. At the time Phillips denied he was the child's father, but a paternity test proved he is.

Wednesday, a judge threw out the charge of kidnapping against Phillips. His attorney argued it did not apply since he is Kate's father. Phillips now faces new charges of parental kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. The judge set his bond at $250,000.

Despite several searches in Mason County, there are few clues to baby Kate's whereabouts.

[Harvest Moon]

This is the first I heard of about this one. How sad. After successfully raising two children with little support from any man, I just want to physically shake some sense into these dumb women.

If you can't care for your baby, bring him or her to the local hospital or police station. Or hell, drop them off at my door and I'll give them the life they deserve.

[Jezreel]

No new news, hopefully this boost in the reward fund will offer up some new clues...

LUDINGTON, Mich. -
The reward fund for information about a baby missing since June in western Michigan has gotten a $5,000 boost.

Police in Ludington announced Thursday that the money from an out-of-state donor who chose to remain anonymous raises the reward fund's total to more than $6,600.

Katherine Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips was 4 ¹⁄₂ months old when she last was seen June 29 with her father, 21-year-old Sean Phillips of Scottville. He is jailed while awaiting trial on charges of unlawful imprisonment and parental kidnapping.

[ttownclown]

This is just so sad...What the hell is wrong with people??? I hope the sperm donor has a fun time in prison where he belongs...I don't understand how anyone could hurt a baby...It blows my mind...

[RJs-Ex]

I wonder if they sold the baby? This mother knows something she's not telling. I'm suspicious of the way she keeps defending the father, saying that she still loves him and what a good father he is, etc.
I know I sure as hell wouldn't be feeling that way if my "babydaddy" kidnapped and presumably killed my baby!

[Cheyne]

It is possible they sold the baby. The clothes in Sean's pocket could be there because the buyer had clothes to change baby Kate into before they left with her.

I think Sean killed her (or exposed and left her to die) and took her clothes off so there would be less evidence if Kate's body is found. They are very close to Lake Michigan (for water disposal), and the area is rural with a state forest not too far away. A 4 month old baby's body would decompose very quickly (especially as much of the skeleton is cartilage and not bone), and animals would take care of the evidence. The fact that there is no clothing on her body would make it extremely hard to find, and leave very little if anything for anyone to find.

[Jezreel]

I think there is a possibility she was 'adopted' out..... either way whatever happened to this precious baby both parents know exactly what went on. The mother shouts her mouth off all over FB, but has not once asked/begged/pleaded for the return of her daughter. Sean has now stopped taking visits from her too.
I hope there is a break in this case soon, poor baby should be seeing in her first Christmas and she has now been missing more than half of her short life

[Jezreel]

The trial for Sean Phillips started today:

Ludlington Daily News - The 14 members of the jury for Sean Phillips’ unlawful imprisonment charge were seated by 5 p.m. Monday and the trial began with opening arguments this morning.
Sean Phillips, 22, of Victory Township is charged with secretly confining his daughter Katherine “Kate” Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips of Ludington, who disappeared June 29, 2011.

She was 4 and a half months old when she disappeared and was reported missing by her mother, Ariel Courtland.

Ariel has testified she left Kate in her car seat behind the driver’s seat of Sean’s 1998 silver Oldsmobile Intrigue with Sean at the wheel. She said she left for a couple of minutes for something inside her apartment complex and Sean, his car — and Kate — were gone when she came back.

Police have testified that Sean said “Ariel had ‘it’” when asked where Kate was on the day of her disappearance. Police also testified Sean said he wasn’t telling the whole truth.

When police found Sean — about three hours after Kate was reported missing — they also found Kate’s car seat and diaper bag in his car’s trunk and found baby clothing in his pocket, clothing Ariel had said she put on the baby the day she disappeared.

Sean is now facing a charge of unlawful imprisonment in connection with Kate’s disappearance, a crime if the prosecution can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the restrained person was secretly confined. Secretly confined can mean either keeping the confinement of a restrained person a secret, or keeping the location of a restrained person a secret.

A conviction on the charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Sean has remained locked up in the Mason County Jail since June 29. His bond is $250,000.

On Monday, Sean wore a gray button-down shirt, striped tie and light tan slacks in the courtroom. During past appearances he had worn an orange jail outfit, a bulletproof vest and wrist and ankle chains.

Jury selection

The Mason County Courthouse was packed Monday after more than 80 people were called in for the jury selection process.

51^st Circuit Court Judge Richard Cooper started the process by talking to the potential jurors.

Cooper explained the prosecution must prove each element of his case beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a guilty verdict and explained that the defense does not have to prove anything.

It was also explained to the potential jurors that Sean Phillips is innocent unless proven guilty.

Among the questions Cooper asked were:

• were any potential jurors 70 or older who wanted to be excused?

• did they understand English?

• did they have knowledge of the case other than what they learned in the local media?

• would a 10-day trial pose insurmountable problems for them?

• did they have a problem with the prosecutor?

• did they have a problem with the defense attorney?

Cooper also had many potential witnesses introduce themselves to the potential jurors and then asked if the jurors had any problems with the witnesses.

Those witnesses — who number about 50 — include many police officers from the Ludington Police Department, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, and FBI; as well as friends and family members of both Ariel Courtland and Sean Phillips.

Defense attorney Annette Smedley also introduced two potential witnesses Monday, Ken Wilson and Aaron Salisbury.

Prosecution questions/remarks

Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola asked the potential jurors many questions Monday, including:

• how do they feel about sitting in judgment of a fellow citizen?

• had they heard about the case through the media?

• if the judge asked them to wipe that information from their mind, could they do that?

• were they ever crime victims?

• had they ever served on juries?

• had they ever served in the military and would Sean’s involvement with the U.S. Army National Guard make any difference to them? did they participate in any search for Kate or attend any vigil for the missing baby?

• do they have cell phones or GPS units and do they understand how GPS can be used to track people’s cell phones?

• do they understand what reasonable doubt is?

Spaniola also asked if they have feelings about a case involving children born out of wedlock and if they had ever been involved with paternity testing and custody disputes, because those would be parts of the testimony.

He asked the jurors and potential jurors if they thought the circumstances of the case made it less of a case because the parties involved knew each other.

Defense questions/remarks

Smedley asked potential jurors what clubs they belong to and what magazines they read.

She also reiterated that the defense does not have to call witnesses or say anything — that it is up to the prosecutor to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and that Sean is innocent until proven guilty. To do that, the prosecutor needs to prove every element of his charge is true.

Smedley compared the prosecutor’s job to building a bicycle chain that needs several parts. She said if there is a missing link the verdict must be not guilty.

In the case of unlawful imprisonment, according to the Michigan Penal Code, it requires that a person commits the crime “if he or she knowingly restrains another person under any of the following circumstances: the person is restrained by means of a weapon or dangerous instrument; the restrained person was secretly confined; or the person was restrained to facilitate the commission of another felony or to facilitate flight after the commission of another felony.”

Smedley also asked the jurors if they felt it was easier for people to remember the truth or to remember a lie.

Some of the jurors’ responses were varied, with some saying it is easier to remember the truth, others saying it is easier to remember a lie, and with at least one man saying it’s about the same.

More at link: http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/6...wsgroup_id=