4-Month-Old Katherine Phillips Still Missing

**Hellsbells** · June 30th, 2011, 03:22 PM

Mother of missing Ludington infant, Katherine Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips, remains hopeful as she searches

Ariel Courtland, 19, appealed to anyone who finds her 4-month-old daughter to feed her. She said "Baby Kate" is teething, and has been a little fussy, but is otherwise a "happy-go-lucky" baby.

"I can't eat or sleep," she said. "I want to know where my daughter's at and that she's safe."

She said she doesn't believe Sean Michael Phillips, the baby's father and her alleged abducter, gave their daughter to anyone else.

"I think if anything, he just left her somewhere," she said. "Nobody's getting anything out of him now."

Courtland spoke to reporters briefly before leaving her apartment, 922 E. Tinkham, to look for Kate. She said she wasn't sure where to look, but would start with places Phillips was likely to go.

Courtland said she and Phillips had argued before Phillips allegedly took Kate, but she never suspected that he might harm their daughter.

"We'd argued before. We're just like other parents," she said. "I never had an indication that he would take a child."

She said police told her not to discuss what happened in more detail, and neighbors said they didn't know the couple.

The two have an older daughter, Courtland said, who wants to know where her father and little sister are.

"I just tell her that Kate's lost and mom and everybody else is trying to find her," she said.

Courtland said she has already taken a polygraph test and passed.

"I don't want people to ever, for one second, think that I would harm my child," she said.

The frantic search for the missing baby now involves federal and state authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Ludington Police said.

The Ludington Daily News reported that authorities are also looking for people that were seen launching a blue-and-white-colored pleasure boat at the Hackert Lake public boat launch Wednesday afternoon.

Hackert Lake is also known as Crystal Lake. The boaters were launching the boat with a silver-colored four-door pickup truck. The potential witnesses were described to investigators as a family with children and were possibly driving a green full-size SUV as well.

Police have indicated that Phillips, 21, of Scottville, took the baby. He has since been located by authorities and lodged in the Mason County Jail. But the baby has not been found. Phillips' vehicle, a silver, 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue, is currently in police custody.

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/i...ington_in.html

**Kindly One** · June 30th, 2011, 04:00 PM

Uh oh...

AMBER ALERT: Missing infant in Ludington; police investigating scene

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WZZM) -- Police issued an Amber Alert Wednesday night for a four and a half month old girl, Katherine Phillips, believed abducted by the girl's father on Wednesday.

WZZM 13's Sarah Sell, who was following this story in Ludington, reports that police have taped off a portion of a road in a rural area near Ludington. A neighbor in that area tells Sarah that he saw Sean Michael Phillips drive down that road Wednesday afternoon between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. The witness says that Phillips was down the road for about 45 minutes and then drove back.

...

Ludington and Mason County officials report that Sean Phillips has been charged with kidnapping and is being held on a $500,000 bond at the Mason County Jail.

...

Michigan State Police mobile crime lab is on the scene in a couple of locations checking on tips from residents. The U.S. Coast Guard is using a helicopter checking the Crystal Lake area.

...

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/regional/...CFRONTPAGE%7Cp

**cubby** · June 30th, 2011, 04:16 PM

My heart is weeping, this does not sound good for little Katie!

**Kindly One** · June 30th, 2011, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by cubby

My heart is weeping, this does not sound good for little Katie!

I know. There's only one reason he could possibly have for refusing to say where she is, and that's because he did something to her that he's ashamed of.

**Hellsbells** · June 30th, 2011, 06:41 PM

**Mommyof2** · June 30th, 2011, 07:31 PM

This story breaks my heart. I don't want to admit to myself that the baby is hurt or dead. I told myself all day yesterday he hid her with family or friends somewhere. I don't even want to think about her being somewhere alone hungry and crying for her mom. I wish they could just beat this motherfucker to a pulp and force him to give up where the baby is hidden.

**Kindly One** · June 30th, 2011, 08:07 PM

Look at his eyes.

She's dead.

**Robynne** · June 30th, 2011, 08:14 PM

I am hoping he did give her to someone, and the time he spent in the woods was to maybe bury a squirrel he accidentally hit.

Ha, wishful thinking, denial, call it what you will. This is the only way I can read this and not break down in tears. She is just a tiny baby.

**HellCat** · June 30th, 2011, 08:23 PM

Oh, no...! Someone needs to strongly encourage that ASSHAT to come clean... Immediately!

**Silvahalo** · June 30th, 2011, 08:32 PM

This isn't looking well at all. I'll be anxiously waiting for news.
Little Katie is precious....let's hope he has at least one selfless bone in his body.

Argument between custody issues. Mom doesn't think she's ok but hopes she is.

VIDEO

VIDEO CONFERENCE

**Hellsbells** · July 1st, 2011, 08:57 AM

Nothing new

Katherine Shelbie Elizabeth Phillips-Missing in Michigan Fcaebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kather...39207996108263

**Silvahalo** · July 1st, 2011, 05:40 PM

Oh, my word, baby Katherine is a baby doll. Thanks @hellsbells for the update. I was hoping for great news...

From her FB wall:
Debra Brink
PRAISE GOD !!!!!!! The Suspect has requested to talk and they are bringing the Attorney in !!!!!!!!![/h]4 minutes ago · Like · Comment

**Rockin Ma** · July 1st, 2011, 10:50 PM

UPDATE 7/01/11 at 10:10PM (WZZM): The Ludington Police Department is asking anyone that is available to come to the Police Department (at 408 S. Harrison St.) on Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Each volunteer will be provided with information and asked to go to businesses on Ludington Ave. and out US-10.

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WZZM) - The search continues in the woods of Mason County for a Ludington baby who has been missing since Wednesday afternoon. Four month old Katherine Phillips was last seen Wednesday afternoon.

Detectives believe Sean Phillips, 21, took her but so far he is not talking. Today volunteers joined the search for the infant which is now focused in an area between US 31, Fountain Road, Amber Road and Dewey Road.

Anyone interested and available in helping in the search for Katherine Phillips should go to the Ludington City Hall at 400 S. Harrison. Each volunteer will be given a copy of an informational flyer and asked to go to a local store/business and ask permission to stand in front of that business and ask customers to contact Mason-Oceana 911 at 231-869-5858 or to contact Silent Observer at 888-STOP CRIME (888-786-7274) with any information connected to either Katherine Phillips or Sean Phillips.

Currently, the Mason County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, F.B.I., Oceana County Sheriff's Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, and Fire Departments from the Mason County Fire Departments are conducting the search.

That search efforts if being supported by the Salvation Army.

Sean Phillips is in in jail, charged with kidnapping. An Amber Alert remains in effect for Katherine.

http://www.wzzm13.com/rss/article/17...earch-Saturday

**Silvahalo** · July 1st, 2011, 11:34 PM

I was hoping he had given it up by now. Someone needs to beat this fucker sideways, get him to talk.

The search continues in the woods of Mason County for a Ludington baby who has been missing since Wednesday afternoon. Four month old Katherine Phillips was last seen Wednesday afternoon.

The woods. damn, no way she can survive that. I'm hoping he handed her over to someone to scare the mother....but i'd think by now they would have contacted authorities.
The mother must be beside herself in worry. btw, on the conference video auth. did say she was excluded in being any part of her disappearance.. I know how sad that has to be made clear, but we've seen that happen.

let me at'em!............LET ME AT'EM!!!!!!!

**LDhummingbird** · July 2nd, 2011, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by silvahalo68

I was hoping he had given it up by now. Someone needs to beat this fucker sideways, get him to talk.

I volunteer. Man, this little girl is beautiful... but aren't they all? And by now even if he didn't directly harm her she's probably died of exposure or been attacked by wild animals.

I hate people.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · July 2nd, 2011, 09:07 AM

Ariel Courtland appeared calm and organized Friday night as she addressed a group of people who answered a Facebook appeal to help her look for her baby daughter — missing since Wednesday. Courtland said she spoke to the baby’s alleged abductor, Sean Michael Phillips who indicated to her about 5:15 p.m. Friday that the baby is still alive.

“He told me she is alive,” Courtland told the Daily News in the Subway parking lot on U.S. 10 late Friday night — across the street and not far from the last place Phillips was seen Wednesday, Wendy’s restaurant, before police found him and apprehended him at his parents’ Millerton Road property. Courtland said that she has been told by authorities not to look for the child, but she has grown tired of waiting.

“I’m doing what I need to do to find my kid,” she said.

Courtland told the group — which consisted of friends and other volunteers she didn’t know — to look anywhere Phillips could have gotten in the short time between when she saw him with Kate and when he was located at his parents’ house without her. Courtland said it was only about an hour and a half time period Wednesday afternoon.

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/ne...sing-baby-kate

**Mommyof2** · July 2nd, 2011, 04:49 PM

LUDINGTON, Mich. -- (07/02/11) -- Authorities say clothing has been located that a missing 4 ½-month-old western Michigan girl was last seen wearing.

The Ludington Daily News reports Saturday that police didn't disclose where the clothing was found. The update came from a news conference.

Police have been searching the area between the Ludington apartment where Katherine Phillips lives with her mother and the Scottville home of Sean Phillips, the child's father. Phillips was arrested on kidnapping and child enticement charges.

Katherine Phillips last was seen Wednesday wearing pink shorts and a matching pink tank top with black and pink flowers.

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?se...aign=may2011-2

I don't like the sound of this.

**princessgrandma** · July 2nd, 2011, 07:01 PM

Oh god, I hope they find her ok. He says she's alive, but if he left her out in the woods.... I hate to think it but she might have been alive when he left her, but if some animal or something got a hold of her, that might be why they haven't found her yet.

This story gives me a bad feeling, but I'm not claiming to be psychic. There's still hope yet.

How could a father of two little kids be such an asshole and not tell people where she is? I don't get it. Doesn't he care about his kids at all? I understand he might be mad at the mom but why make a kid suffer for something she had nothing to do with?

**Mommyof2** · July 2nd, 2011, 07:26 PM

The sad thing is even if this dad did just drop her alive in the woods it has been very hot the past two days and if nobody is giving this baby something to drink there is no way she can survive.

**Hellsbells** · July 2nd, 2011, 07:27 PM

**Rockin Ma** · July 2nd, 2011, 07:30 PM

I pray this is not the last photo that will ever be taken of her. I want to know, where did they find her clothes?

**totallytoddler** · July 2nd, 2011, 09:22 PM

Yea yea yea...he SAYS shes still alive. Just like the Skelton boys Dad said they were alive(they were never found were they?) , and Casey Anthony said Caylee was alive.
They found her clothes she was wearing. Thats all I need to hear.
I of course hope I'm wrong but......

**Silvahalo** · July 2nd, 2011, 10:52 PM

The sonofbitch needs to talk. It's disgusting, revolting that he would withhold where she is. IF she's dead, ffs, give it up.
What he's putting the mother and sister Haley through has got to be a fucking nightmare.
Finding the clothes is real bad. Don't want to even think what might have come of her. Please find baby Katherine.

from her fb wall:

I would like to ask all of you to also say a prayer for baby kate's sister Haley. She was very upset at the vigil tonight.

**soon2bmomof3** · July 3rd, 2011, 02:16 AM

I really hope if she is in the woods... that some mother wolf took her in and is caring for her. I know, stupid to say, but it is better than thinking the reality that there is a 4 month old baby naked that has been missing for days.

**Mommyof2** · July 3rd, 2011, 01:52 PM

I read today they are waiting on the MSP cadaver dogs to get up to luddington to start searching for the baby. I don't have a news article to back that up but it was being discussed on the fb set up to help find this baby.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kather...39207996108263

You can even listen in on the police scanners and hear what is going down. That is how a lot of people are getting their info on the dogs.
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?feedId=3157

To me the dogs make me think they are looking for a body but I don't want to believe it.

**Mommyof2** · July 3rd, 2011, 05:34 PM

They just said on the scanner that the dogs hit in an area (didn't say where) they made a point to say it wasn't by the rail road tracks?

ETA: They have called off the search for today. Man I was really hoping she would be found.

**Rockin Ma** · July 3rd, 2011, 05:41 PM

That's by the tracks to keep the media away! No, I don't know, but I'm anxiously waiting for this baby girl to be found.

**MichaelJCheaney** · July 3rd, 2011, 07:46 PM

The news article said he was about to be deployed to Afghanistan......I guess abducting your child would be one way to make sure you don't have to go......

**Silvahalo** · July 3rd, 2011, 08:07 PM

I'm glad this case is getting a lot of attention but i wish more people would be just as interested in what happened to baby Joshua Davis Jr. who just seemed to vanish.

It makes me crazy not knowing what happened to these children that go missing. crazy.
I can only imagine how maddening it is for the family.

**Silvahalo** · July 5th, 2011, 01:23 AM

Nothing new.

[...]
Police found Katherine Phillips' clothing two days ago, but no one has seen the four-month-old since she was taken from the Ludington area last Wednesday.Police won't say where her clothes were located.
The child was last seen with her father, 21-year-old Sean Phillips.
"Tips are continually coming in, and we certainly understand that any number of things are possible, but we're proceeding with the hope that she's still alive and well and we'll be able to locate and bring her home," said Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett.
That father is currently being held on kidnapping charges.
Volunteers plan to keep searching through Wednesday.

So searching ends Wednesday. Then what? damn. this sucks bad.

link