4-Month-Old Katherine Phillips Still Missing

[Whisper]

West Michigan Dad Guilty In Daughter’s Disappearance

LUDINGTON (WWJ/AP) – A jury has convicted a West Michigan father of unlawful imprisonment in the disappearance of his baby daughter.

The Mason County Circuit Court jury in Ludington on Friday returned the verdict against Sean Phillips on the charge, also known as secret confinement. Deliberations began Thursday in the case following a nearly two-week trial.

Phillips faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced.
[...]

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/04/...disappearance/

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The mother of missing Baby Kate Phillips has filed paperwork to marry the man suspected of killing their infant daughter last year.

Sean Phillips has been imprisoned since he was convicted of unlawful imprisonment of the Ludington child earlier this year. The day Phillips was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison, police named him a suspect in what they now consider to be a homicide investigation.

Ariel Courtland filed paperwork Monday to marry Phillips while he is in an Ionia County prison, Ionia County clerk's records show. The marriage must be confirmed within 30 days for it to be legal.

Courtland says the marriage is not an indication that she is in love with Phillips, but part of her ongoing effort to get answers about what happened to her daughter who disappeared when she was 4 months old and still hasn't been found.

"I need to have answers," Courtland told 24 Hour News 8 Tuesday. "I've taken all the steps to try to avoid this."

Those steps included appealing the decision that she says barred her from visiting Phillips in prison because she is considered to be a victim in the case, Courtland said.

"I tried appealing it with a lawyer. I tried appealing it with the state in Lansing -- to the appellate people in Lansing," she said.

After trying "everything I can possibly think of," Courtland acted on the belief that she could visit Phillips if she was a part of his immediate family. She plans to make that happen by marrying him.

"It has nothing to do with Kate," Courtland said. "The prison told us that we were never allowed to see each other or talk... We weren't able to have any contact whatsoever... unless we were immediate family."

"I still have a billion...questions for him."

During the April trial, Phillips' defense attorney claimed Courtland is the person who knows were Baby Kate is -- not Sean Phillips. On the witness stand Courtland was pressed about her involvement in a plan to put Kate up for adoption.

While police have repeatedly said the evidence indicates that Courtland is not a suspect in the baby's disappearance or suspected murder, Courtland says she is aware that some of the public's perception of her is negative.

She now fears that news of her plans to marry Phillips will make that worse.

"Every single thing that I do is still being watched," she said. ""My life is gonna be flipped upside down once again for something that I was almost forced to do."

"I'm sick of being followed. I'm sick of being harassed."

Courtland said she went against the advice of others in making the decision to file for the marriage license. She says Phillips has asked several times to marry her in the past and says that she's discussed her plans with Phillips' parents who she says "understand" why she decided to go through with the marriage.

After checking with prosecutors and investigators, Courtland says she was assured the marriage would not harm the criminal investigation.

The marriage is simply a means to an end, Courtland insists, an opportunity for her to meet with Phillips and try to get the answers to questions so many still have about what happened to Baby Kate.

"A marriage license is a paper... It's not saying that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with him," she said. "It's saying that I want to marry him for a... month or however long it takes for me to sit down with him and say, 'Hey, what the f--- happened?' That's all it's meant to be. That's it."
[...]

John Cordell of the Michigan Department of Corrections did add, "The Warden denied the mother of the child's visitation request (Ariel Courtland) on the grounds of order and security and an inability to positively influence the prisoner's rehabilitation. The warden maintains the authority to deny the visit even if the person is married to the prisoner."

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local...-suspected-dad

[Dakota Valkyrie]

A letter apparently written by Sean Phillips details what happened the day his daughter Baby Kate went missing, explains how he believes Baby she died and what he did with her body.
[...]

This is what you want, ok. I always felt that I needed to do this in person. That you deserved that, and that we would both need each other for that.

Also didn't feel safe writing these things anyways. Still dont, but this can't wait any longer.

I think I could even make it though talking about that day here now.
[...]

Read the full transcript here: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/targe...bout-Baby-Kate

[TheMeaningOfItAll]

He's a real piece of work. The whole letter read as manipulation to me. She's obviously messed up too. I'm sure her statements aren't accurate either. What a lowdown shame that an innocent child was murdered because two people couldn't pull their heads out of their asses.

[Valasca]

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c2#...e-marriage.hln

[Nell]

She is almost more disgusting then him.

[Silvahalo]

I was thrown into the worst possible thing at the worst possible time. Everything just happened, and I never had the chance to do the right thing.

Takes no responsibility. IF he's not lying out of his ass, and I'm not convinced he's not, only one thrown was baby Kate. fucker.

"I'm sick of being followed. I'm sick of being harassed."

I bet baby Kate was sick of the bullshit and now sick of being dead.

Don't believe someone has her safely somewhere, except maybe the angels.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Police: Plant experts can help find baby's remains

Authorities are hoping that plant experts will be able to help them find the remains of a West Michigan baby who disappeared nearly two years ago, police said Wednesday.

Investigators think that botanical evidence found on the shoes of Sean Phillips could lead them to the body of his daughter, Katherine, who was last seen when she was 41/2-months-old, Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett said at a news conference.

Last year, Phillips was convicted of unlawful imprisonment in the case and sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison. Police are treating Katherine's disappearance as a homicide.

Police will resume the search for Katherine's remains June 28-29, because it's the same timeframe in which she disappeared in 2011 and similar plants will be present, Barnett said.

Authorities have been working with scientists from Michigan State University, University of Michigan and the Field Museum in Chicago to retrieve and identify grass-like plants called sedges, sphagnum moss, pine, sand from a dune and other elements, he said.

Detective J.B. Wells wrote in a letter to prospective applicants to assist in the search this June that the goal is to identify where Phillips walked, which could show them "where he put Baby Kate."

Police have declined to identify specific areas where they plan to search, but say locations with a high probability of containing all of the elements have been established.

Investigators say people with knowledge of plants should apply by May 1, and those who are accepted will be trained in advance. Wells called it an "incredible opportunity" for biologists to "use their skill and education to help solve a criminal case and bring justice to Baby Kate."

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ETRO/304030421