The body of Rebecca Park, a 22-year-old pregnant woman who vanished from northern Michigan nearly a month ago, was recovered from the Manistee National Forest in Wexford County, authorities confirmed. The grim discovery on Monday, Nov. 25, has launched a frantic search for her newborn baby, who was not found with her remains.
Park was last seen on Sunday, Nov. 3, when she willingly entered the passenger side of a vehicle outside a her mother’s home on South 21 1/2 Road in Boon Township, about 100 miles north of Grand Rapids. She was reported missing the following day, prompting extensive search efforts by law enforcement and volunteer groups across the region.
The young mother was approximately 38 weeks pregnant when she disappeared, having been due to give birth on Nov. 18. An autopsy confirmed the body discovered by volunteer searchers was Park’s, but revealed something deeply troubling: the baby was not present with her body when it was found, according to the Wexford County Sheriff’s Office.
“The Wexford County Sheriff’s Office, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, is working diligently to determine the condition and potential whereabouts of the baby,” Sheriff Trent Taylor said in a statement released Saturday, Nov. 29. The FBI and Michigan State Police have joined local agencies in the investigation.
Park’s cause of death remains pending as authorities continue their investigation. The case has taken multiple dramatic turns in recent days, with four individuals connected to Park now in custody at the Wexford County Jail.
Richard Falor, 43, Park’s fiancé, was arrested on the evening of Nov. 25, shortly after her body was discovered. He faces two counts of delivering and manufacturing methamphetamine, along with charges as a habitual offender fourth offense notice. His bond was set at $1 million cash, with a judge declaring him both a threat to the community and a flight risk during his arraignment.
After she initially went missing, Falor told 9and10 News that they had gone to the hospital on Nov. 2 because they believed she might be in labor. He said at that time she was dilated 1 centimeter and that her official due date was Nov. 18. Falor said that Park was picked up in a black sedan with tinted windows while she was at her biological mother’s house the day she went missing. He didn’t share any details about where she was going or who would be coming to get her. That same day, she had also obtained about $2,000 from a family inheritance, and her phone was later discovered discarded near the house, which likely enabled her to avoid being tracked electronically.
“Me and her have been together for a little over two years, and even when she’s not around me, she’s always in contact with me,” Falor said.
Kimberly Park, Rebecca Park’s 21-year-old sister, was arrested around 1 a.m. on Nov. 26. She faces three charges: tampering with evidence in a criminal case, lying to a peace officer in violation of a crime investigation, and false report of a felony. Her bond was set at $750,000 cash surety.
The investigation took another significant turn late Sunday night, Nov. 30, when two additional suspects were taken into custody. Cortney Bartholomew, 40, Park’s biological mother, was arrested and booked into the Wexford County Jail at 11:40 p.m. Her fiancé, Bradly Bartholomew, 47, Park’s stepfather, was booked into custody at 12:42 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 1.
An arraignment for the couple was initially scheduled for Monday afternoon, but prosecutors requested a delay because the criminal complaint was not ready. The hearing was rescheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 2. A judge ordered Bradly Bartholomew held without bond, citing him as both a threat and a flight risk based on information in search warrants.
“If there was ever a case where circumstances justify a delay of any type, it’s this case. This is as serious as it gets. It’s as horrible as it gets — to preserve the integrity of the case,” prosecutor Johanna Carey told the court.
Outside the courtroom, community members who had gathered for the scheduled arraignment expressed disappointment at the delay, though one reminded the group that they could wait one more day after waiting so long for charges to be filed.
The case has captured widespread attention across northern Michigan and beyond, with extensive online discussion about the investigation. In mid-November, sheriff’s officials publicly pushed back against what they called “misinformation and vitriol” circulating on social media, saying the rumors were hampering their investigation efforts.
Park, who had two young boys, was described by friends as a loving mother who was excited about the arrival of her baby. The area where her body was found had previously been searched by law enforcement K9 teams, drones, deputies on foot, and volunteer recovery groups.
On Nov. 13, before her body was discovered, police issued a public appeal directly to Park, urging her to contact them if she was in hiding. Authorities assured her she was not in trouble and expressed concern for her wellbeing.
Sheriff Taylor acknowledged the intense public interest in the case while asking for patience as the investigation continues. “We understand the public’s desire for details and their demand for justice for Rebecca and her baby. We ask for your patience and understanding as we continue to seek answers for this tragic situation,” he stated.
The Missaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Cadillac Police Department are among the multiple agencies collaborating on the case. Authorities have emphasized that information being released is extremely limited due to the active and ongoing nature of the investigation.
The Wexford County Sheriff’s Office said that their search efforts for Park’s baby are being assisted by the Michigan State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation.