The body of 9-year-old Renesmay Eutsey was discovered partially submerged in the Youghiogheny River near Smithton, Pennsylvania, on Thursday morning, September 5, 2025, approximately 14 hours after she was reported missing. Her foster mother, Kourtney Malinda Eutsey, 31, has been charged with criminal homicide and multiple related offenses in connection with the child’s death.
Pennsylvania State Police were initially called to a home on Third Street in Dunbar Borough around 12:41 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4, when Kourtney Eutsey and her partner Sarah Shipley reported the child missing. The couple claimed Renesmay had left their home around 2:30 a.m. that morning.
The investigation took a dramatic turn when other children living in the home contradicted the initial reports. One child approached investigators and revealed crucial information, telling police she would never see her baby sister again because she was in heaven. Another child disclosed witnessing physical abuse and hearing plans to take the victim to a river that was far away.
According to court documents, the children described hearing Renesmay screaming and crying during the night. One witness reported seeing Kourtney Eutsey and Shipley yelling at the child and kicking her in the stomach. The same witness claimed to have seen Renesmay’s body placed in a black garbage bag and then into a plastic container.
When questioned by investigators on Wednesday evening around 10:40 p.m., Kourtney Eutsey eventually confessed to the crime. She told police that Renesmay had suffered a severe burn injury to her back in the bathtub approximately one week prior to her death, but the child never received medical treatment for the wound, which may have become infected.
Eutsey claimed that on Tuesday night, September 3, Renesmay began vomiting and choking. She alleged that she attempted CPR for 20 to 30 minutes to remove the vomit but was unsuccessful in saving the child’s life. Eutsey told investigators she did not call emergency services because she feared getting in trouble due to the child’s burn injuries and malnourished appearance.
Following the child’s death, Eutsey admitted to placing the body in a black bag, then into a tote, before driving to an area near Perryopolis and leaving it along the riverbank. She subsequently led police to the location where Renesmay’s body was discovered early Thursday morning near Smithton in Westmoreland County.
Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele described the condition of the child when found, indicating that Renesmay appeared malnourished with various bruises and cigarette burns on her body. “It’s very apparent this girl suffered,” Aubele told investigators.
Renesmay, who had an intellectual disability, weighed only 45 pounds and stood four feet tall. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes. The child had been living with Kourtney Eutsey and three biological siblings for approximately five years while their biological mother, Christina Benedetto, attempted to regain custody.
Benedetto expressed her devastation upon learning of her daughter’s death, noting that she had searched for Renesmay for 13 hours on Wednesday before discovering the tragic outcome. She acknowledged her past mistakes as a mother but emphasized that the foster parents were supposed to protect the children while she worked to rebuild her life.
Kourtney Eutsey faces eight charges total, including criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the death of a child. She is being held without bond at the Fayette County Prison after being deemed a threat to herself and others.
Sarah Shipley, identified as the court-ordered custodian of Renesmay, has not been charged criminally, though the complaint alleges she was involved in the abuse. District Attorney Aubele indicated that additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
All remaining children in the home have been removed by Children and Youth Services. The couple had been homeschooling the children at their residence. Community members have organized vigils in Dunbar to remember Renesmay, with hundreds gathering to express their grief and anger over the child’s death.
