Amber Waterman sentenced for kidnapping and killing pregnant woman & unborn child

UPDATE

McDONALD COUNTY, Mo. — The McDonald County woman who admitted to kidnapping a pregnant woman and killing her and her unborn child will die behind bars.

A federal judge sentenced Amber Waterman, 44, to life in federal prison without parole.

Back in July, she pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of causing the death of a child in utero. She’s still charged in Benton County, Arkansas with two counts of capital murder and one count of kidnapping.

Waterman admitted that on Halloween in 2022, she met Ashley Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant, at a gas station in Arkansas under the pretext of helping Bush get a job. Instead, Waterman kidnapped Bush and took her to the Waterman home in Pineville.

Less than six hours later, McDonald County emergency responders received a call about a baby who wasn’t breathing. Waterman originally told the paramedics that she had the baby in a truck and was on the way to the hospital. Autopsy results showed Bush died from the trauma caused by the baby girl being cut out of her body, which also caused the death of the baby.

Investigators say after Bush was dead, Waterman had her husband, Jamie Waterman, 44, help her dispose of Bush’s body on their property in Pineville. Officials say the couple tried to dismember Bush’s body, and they found her burned remains near their home.

Jamie was charged in federal court with two counts of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. He’s scheduled to be in court Tuesday afternoon for a change of plea hearing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.